The Magician's Elephant

A magician conjures an elephant from the sky, setting off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that it changes life in this quiet and lonely town forever.

"Magic is always impossible. That's what makes it magic."

Baltese is a town where nothing extraordinary ever happens. Recovering from a recent war, it’s a lonely place, where young Peter lives a harsh life.

Then one day, a magician conjures an elephant from the sky. The creature’s appearance sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that it changes Baltese forever. Peter is catapulted into the quest of his life, overturning everything he ever thought he knew, and discovering that happiness can come from the most unexpected places.

This musical for all the family was the first show to return for live audiences in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre after the Covid-19 closures, with the message that even the impossible can be possible when we open our eyes and hearts to those around us.

The Magician’s Elephant isadapted from Kate DiCamillo's prize-winning novel, and was directed by Sarah Tipple (Associate Director The Boy in the Dress) and designed by Colin Richmond (Wendy & Peter Pan). 

Production photos

Jack Wolfe as Peter and Mark Meadows as Vilna Lutz in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Renu Arora as Madame LaVaughn, Marc Antolin as Leo Matienne and Alastair Parker as The Magician in The Magician's Elephant

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Alastair Parker as The Magician in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Amy Booth-Steel as the Narrator and the ensemble of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Sam Harrison as Count Quintet and Summer Strallen as Countess Quintet in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

The cast of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Sam Harrison as Count Quintet and Summer Strallen as Countess Quintet and the ensemble of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Jack Wolfe as Peter, and Zoe Halliday, Wela Mbusi and Suzanne Nixon as The Elephant in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Sam Harrison as Count Quintet, Summer Strallen as Countess Quintet and Miriam Nyarko as Adele in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Sam Harrison as Count Quintet, Summer Strallen as Countess Quintet and Miriam Nyarko as Adele in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

The cast of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Forbes Masson as the Police Chief, Marc Antolin as Leo Matienne and the cast of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Amy Booth-Steel as the Narrator, Jack Wolfe as Peter, and the cast of The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Marc Antolin as Leo Matienne and Amy Booth-Steel as the Narrator in The Magician's Elephant 

Photo by Manuel Harlan © RSC Browse and license our images

Jack Wolfe as Peter, Marc Antolin as Leo Matienne and Melissa James as Gloria Matienne in The Magician's Elephant

© RSC Browse and license our images
Launch Gallery

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CAST

Rianna Ash - Swing

Matt Bateman - Swing

Amy Booth-Steel - Narrator

Maya Britto - Swing

Hannah Brown - Peter's Mum

Michael Carolan - Peter's Dad

Lucca Chadwick-Patel - Fishmonger

Stephen John Davis - Doctor

Zoe Halliday - The Elephant

Sam Harrison - Count Quintet

Melissa James - Gloria Matienne

Lauren Jones - Lisette

Forbes Masson - Police Chief

Wela Mbusi - The Elephant

Mark Meadows - Vilna Lutz

Suzanne Nixon - The Elephant

Miriam Nyarko - Adele

Alastair Parker - Magician

Wendy Somerville - Mrs Griswald

Summer Strallen - Countess Quintet

Mandi Symonds - Sister Marie

Chrystine Symone - Lamplighter

Jack Wolfe - Peter Duchene

Sharif Afifi - Miliner

Marc Antolin - Leo Matienne

Alison Arnopp - Baker

Renu Arora - Madame LaVaughn

CREATIVES

Nancy Harris - Book and Lyrics

Marc Teitler - Music and Lyrics

Sarah Tipple - Director

Colin Richmond - Designer

Oliver Fenwick - Lighting Designer

Tom Brady - Music Supervisor, Additional Arrangements & Musical Director

Marc Teitler and Sarah Travis - Orchestrators

Tom Brady and Marc Teitler - Vocal Arrangements

Paul Groothuis - Sound

Francesca Jaynes - Choreographer

Mervyn Millar - Puppetry Director

Tracy Waller and Mervyn Millar - Puppet Design

John Bulleid - Illusion Designer

Douglas O'Connell - Video

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