A BIG FRIENDLY CAST ANNOUNCEMENT. JOHN LEADER IS THE BFG
Roald Dahl's
THE BFG
Adapted by Tom Wells
A Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre and Roald Dahl Story Company production
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tuesday 25 November 2025 – Saturday 31 January 2026
Chichester Festival Theatre
Monday 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026
PRESS NIGHT: Tuesday 9 December at 7pm
BOX OFFICE: rsc.org.uk, 01789 331111
DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Chichester Festival Theatre and the Roald Dahl Story Company, today announce that John Leader will step into the oversized shoes of Roald Dahl’s beloved character, the BFG.
On being announced to play one of British storytelling’s favourite characters for the stage, John said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be playing such an iconic character who means so much to so many people. Everyone has their own picture of the BFG, so it’s really exciting (and a bit surreal!) to help bring him to life on stage. It’s a real joy to be collaborating with Daniel and such a talented team of creatives on this story, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it. Having grown up in Birmingham and trained at Stratford College, coming back to the RSC for a role like this honestly feels very special – a real full-circle moment.”
John was last seen with the RSC in The Merry Wives of Windsor and The School for Scandal, both in 2024. His previous theatre credits include Wuthering Heights, Peter Pan and War Horse at the National Theatre, A Monster Calls at The Old Vic and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre.
Director and RSC Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans said: “Finding the actor to play our eponymous hero, BFG, has been a giant undertaking in so many ways. We knew that this crucial bit of casting was an essential piece of the puzzle. After all, it is the BFG, alongside Sophie and The Queen, who are the main trio of our story. Through each other’s friendship and allyship, they find the imagination and the strength to defeat the human-guzzling giants and save children everywhere.
John Leader brings immense warmth, generosity and humility to the role - all essential qualities for our BFG. He also has a gleaming and vivid imagination. John will be working alongside a highly skilled team of puppeteers as part of a cast of eighteen, to bring Tom Wells’ magical new script to the stage and we look forward to sharing more exciting casting news within the coming weeks.”
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel, this magical new stage adaptation by Tom Wells (The Kitchen Sink, Jumpers for Goalposts) will open at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for a 10-week run over the festive season in 2025.
One extraordinary night, a young orphan named Sophie is snatched by a giant and taken far away to Giant Country.
There she learns that human-eating giants are guzzling 'norphans' the world over. But she soon discovers that her new friend, the BFG, is different – he's a dream-catching, snozzcumber-munching gentle soul who refuses to eat humans.
While other giants terrorise the world, the BFG ignites Sophie's imagination, and they devise a daring plan to save children everywhere. In the end, the smallest human bean and the gentlest giant prove that a dream can change the world.
The BFG will play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 25 November 2025 – 31 January 2026 with Press Night on Tuesday 9 December 2025.
The production will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from Monday 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026. Booking will open in September 2025, with further details and the full schedule announced with CFT’s Winter season.
Joining Daniel and Tom on the creative team is Puppetry Designer and Director, Toby Olié; Set Designer, Vicki Mortimer; Costume Designer, Kinnetia Isidore; Lighting Designer, Zoe Spurr; Video Designer, Akhila Krishnan; Illusions, Chris Fisher; Composer, Oleta Haffner; Sound Designer, Carolyn Downing; Choreographer and Movement Director, Ira Mandela Siobhan; Puppetry Co-Designer, Daisy Beattie; and Senior Set Design Associate, Matt Hellyer. The Casting Director is Christopher Worrall CDG; and the Children’s Casting Director is Verity Naughton CDG.
Tickets for The BFG are available from £16. Discounts are available for Over 65s, Disabled People and Carers, Families, UK School and College Groups and Groups of 10 or more. Terms and conditions apply. See the website rsc.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01789 331111 for more details and to buy tickets.
ENDS
For further enquiries, please contact: Kate Evans 07920 244 434, kate.evans@rsc.org.uk or Bethany Arnold, bethany.arnold@rsc.org.uk
X: @TheRSC
Instagram: @thersc and @roald_dahl
Royal Shakespeare Company incorporated under Royal Charter. Registered charity No. 212481
LISTING INFORMATION
Roald Dahl’s
THE BFG
Adapted by Tom Wells
A Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre and Roald Dahl Story Company production
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tuesday 25 November 2025 – Saturday 31 January 2026
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Press Night: Tuesday 9 December at 7pm
Tickets from £16
Chichester Festival Theatre
Monday 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026
Press Night: Thursday 12 March at 7pm
Full details and booking will be announced in September 2025.
BOOKING INFORMATION
Ticket Discounts:
Discounts are available for Over 65s, Disabled People and Carers, Families, UK School and College Groups and Groups of 10 or more. Terms and conditions apply. See the website rsc.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01789 331111 for more details and to buy tickets.
Assisted Performances at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre:
Audio Described Performance – Saturday 20 December 2pm, Wednesday 28 January 7.15pm
Handheld Captioned Performance – Tuesday 23 December, 2pm
Chilled & Captioned Performance – Saturday 3 January 2pm
BSL Integrated Performance – Friday 16 January 2pm
Relaxed Performance with Integrated BSL Interpreter, Audio Described & Captioned – Thursday 22 January 2pm
Chilled Performance – Thursday 29 January, 2pm
Captioned Performance – Friday 30 January 7.15pm
Creative Team Talk – Monday 8 December, 5.15 – 6pm
Unwrapped – Saturday 10 January, 11am – 12pm
Post Show Talk (BSL Interpreted) – Friday 16 January
NOTES TO EDITORS
The RSC is supported using public funding by Arts Council England
The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund
The RSC is generously supported by RSC America
Craft and Design Sponsor – Pragnell
RSC £10 Tickets for 14-25s supported by TikTok
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
New Work at the RSC is generously supported by Hawthornden Foundation and The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust
Assisted Performances at the RSC are kindly supported by The Saintbury Trust
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s mission is to bring people together to experience stories that deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us, and that bring joy. Shakespeare’s restless exploration of all of human nature is our inspiration and touchstone.
The Company’s roots lie in the bold vision of a local brewer, Edward Fordham Flower, who in 1879 established a theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon with his son Charles. The RSC as we know it today was formed by Sir Peter Hall, whose ambition was to produce new plays alongside those of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. We continue this today across our three permanent theatres in Stratford – the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre and The Other Place – and indeed online and around the globe. We believe everybody’s life can be enriched by culture and creativity. Our transformative Creative Learning and Engagement programmes reach over half a million young people and adults each year. We have collaborated with generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future.
Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT) creates inspiring experiences that bring people together – on and off the stage. Creativity is at the heart of everything we do, and we aim to light a spark in everyone who experiences our work – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
As one of the UK’s flagship theatres, we are renowned for the exceptionally high standard of our productions and our industry-leading work with the community and young people. Situated in a cathedral city in West Sussex between the South Downs and the sea, the Festival Theatre’s bold thrust stage design makes it one of England’s most striking playhouses – equally suited to epic drama and musicals. The studio theatre, the Minerva, is particularly noted for premieres of new work alongside intimate revivals. Our new third venue, The Nest, opens in summer 2025: a vibrant space for dynamic work and the talent of tomorrow. Countless productions which started life at CFT have transferred to the West End or toured nationally and internationally over the past six decades, from musicals to significant new plays and classic revivals.
Year-round programming continues through the winter with the Theatre presenting high-class touring drama, music and comedy, as well as a traditional Christmas show by the renowned Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. Our Learning, Education and Participation (LEAP) department works with people of all ages and abilities, offering a pioneering range of initiatives that inspire and delight all those who take part.
Cft.org.uk.
The Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) is the home of Roald Dahl’s much-loved stories and characters. With over 300 million books sold globally and translated into 68 languages, our stories have entertained generations of kids and adults with their unique mix of mischief, dark humour and fantastic adventures.
Together with our parent company Netflix, and united by our love of these great stories, we’re working with some of the world’s best storytellers and creative minds to bring them to life in new ways that will delight existing and new fans. Our plans include animated and live action films and series, publishing, theatre, immersive experiences, games, consumer products, brand partnerships, and more.
