The BFG

Parkey Abeyratne_2025_c_ the artist_402856
Puppeteer Parkey Abeyratne

This is Parkey’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Counting Sheeps (Polka Theatre), Spitting Image Live (Birmingham Rep, Phoenix Theatre West End), Snowmen (CAST and Hull Truck), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Bridge Theatre), Second Hand Child (Crucible Theatre), Bianco (NoFit State)

Opera includes: The Magic Flute (Glyndebourne), Rusalka (Garsington Opera), Satyagraha (ENO, LA Opera), In C (Birmingham Town Hall) 

Short films includes: Voices, Saint Jude 

Music videos include: Azizam (Ed Sheeran) 

Trained at: Circomedia: Academy for Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre

J.R. Ballantyne_2025_c_ the artist_406588
Swing J.R. Ballantyne

This is J.R.’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: The Addams Family (UK Tour), Cry Baby (Arcola Theatre), Meet Me in St. Louis (Grange Park Opera), Cinderella (Isaac Theatre Royal, New Zealand), Curtains (Wyndham’s Theatre & UK tour), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium) 

Theatre whilst training: Newsies, Curtains 

Trained at: Arts Educational Schools London (ArtsEd)

Sonya Cullingford_2025_c_ the artist_402647
Puppeteer Sonya Cullingford

This is Sonya’s RSC debut  

Theatre includes: Sticky (Chichester Festival Theatre),  Ballet Shoes (National Theatre) Protein: May Contain Food (Woolwich Works), 101 Dalmatians (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Hex (National Theatre), Titus Andronicus (Bold Tendencies)

Film includes: The Survivor, In the Trap, The Mummy, The Danish Girl 

Other: Sonya is an 'Abbatar' (body-double avatar) for Frida in ABBA Voyage

Ailsa Dalling_2025_c_ the artist_402339
Puppeteer Ailsa Dalling

Previous RSC includes: Venus & Adonis 

Theatre includes: Animal Farm (Robert Icke/Fiery Angel), The Dancing Frog (Kneehigh), The Wizard of Oz (Leeds Playhouse), Angelo (Little Angel Theatre), The Adventures of Curious Ganz (Silent Tide), Funny Bones (The Lowry), There’s a bear on my chair (Fuel/Southbank Centre). As lead artist and puppet director: RAT (The Rat Affair), The Pig (Sarah Fielding), Lanny R&D (Bristol Old Vic). As Puppet Director and Maker: touring visuals for globally recognised artist Aurora.

Film/television includes: Work with Samsung, Joe Wright, Channel 4, Cbeebies, BFI, Matthew Holness, Joseph Wallace, LEGO 

Other: Ailsa is a co-founder of the Gobby Women Collective, a support network of 6 female artists working in the UK. As a visual artist, she specialises in printmaking and works as a tattoo artist in Bristol.

Fred Davis_2025_c_ the artist_406585
Puppeteer Fred Davis

This is Fred’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: There’s A Bear In My Chair (Southbank Centre/Theatre Royal Bath), Life of Pi (UK tour, Schoenfeld Theatre, New York, A.R.T Boston, Wyndham’s Theatre, Sheffield Crucible), Ocean at the End of the Lane (National Theatre), Dido and Aeneas (Bodo Concert Hall, Norway), Peter Pan, Running Wild (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The Hartlepool Monkey, Running Wild (UK tour for Gyre and Gimble Puppetry Company),  The Tempest (Petersfield Shakespeare Open Air), Peter Pan, A Christmas Carol, Running Wild, The Hundred and One Dalmations, The Witches, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, Noah, The Firework Makers Daughter, The Snow Queen (Chichester Festival Youth Theatre), Experiment Scratch performance (Nuffield Theatre Southampton), Pass It On Renew Project, Rattigan’s Nijinsky (Chichester Festival Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare Schools Festival)

Film incudes: Project Hail Mary, Jurassic World: Dominion

Television includes: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Gyre & Gimble puppet-making tutorial (National Theatre) 

Other: Fred is an Associate Artist at Gyre & Gimble 

Elisa de Grey_2025_c_ the artist_406587
Puppeteer Elisa de Grey

This is Elisa’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: There’s a Bear on My Chair (Southbank/Tour), Prince Charming, The Wolves in the Walls (Little Angel Theatre), The Famous Five (Chichester Festival Theatre/Theatr Clwyd), Animal Farm (Fiery Angel UK Tour), Pinocchio, A Christmas Carol (Glasgow Citizens Theatre), Kite (The Wrong Crowd), Peter Pan, Running Wild (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Globe), Goodnight Mr Tom (West End and UK Tour), Little Universe, Brilliant (Sadler’s Wells, Fevered Sleep), These Associations (Tino Sehgal), No Way Out (Southwark Playhouse), The Juniper Tree (Goat and Monkey Theatre Company), The Water Babies (Northern Broadsides), Gormenghast (David Glass Ensemble), Beyond Midnight (Trestle Theatre Company), Binari (Obviam Est), Macbeth (Conspirators of Pleasure) 

Television includes: The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon, Harbour Lights

Lottie Johnson_2025_c_ the artist_404770
Swing Lottie Johnson

This is Lottie’s RSC debut

Theatre includes: 101 Dalmatians (UK Tour/Hammersmith Apollo), The Everywhere Bear (Polka and Little Angel Theatre), Miniature Travelling Circus (Little Angel Theatre), Tales from Acorn Wood (UK Tour), Thursford Christmas Spectacular, HMS Pinafore (Illyria), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (MKEC), Land of Nod, Little Red Riding Hood (Moon on a Stick)

Philip Labey_2025_c_ the artist_404769
Captain Smith Philip Labey

Previous RSC includes: Fair Maid of the West 

Theatre includes: Dear England, Ballet Shoes (National Theatre), Village Idiot (Stratford Theatre Royal/Nottingham Playhouse), While the Sun Shines (Orange Tree Theatre), Shakespeare in Love (Theatre Royal Bath), Posh (Nottingham Playhouse/Salisbury Playhouse), First Episode (Jermyn Street Theatre), Not About Heroes (Theatre by the Lake), The History Boys (Mercury Theatre, Colchester), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Belgrade, Coventry), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (360 Theatre), Peter Pan (New Vic), Hamlet, Henry V (Cambridge Shakespeare Company) 

Television includes: Bergerac, Holby City, Casualty, Doctors, Red Dwarf, The Power, Vanity Fair, The Royals

Film includes: The People We Hate at the Wedding, On Chesil Beach, London Wall

Radio includes: Doctor Who

John Leader_2024_370097
The BFG John Leader

Previous RSC includes:The Merry Wives of Windsor, The School for Scandal

Theatre includes: The Little Mermaid (Bristol Old Vic), Wuthering Heights (Wise Children/ National Theatre), A Monster Calls (Old Vic), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Bridge Theatre), Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V, Doctor Faustus, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Globe), Peter Pan, War Horse (National Theatre), Chigger Foot Boys (Tara Arts), Running Wild (Regent’s Park), Romeo and Juliet (Orange Tree), Beasty Baby (Theatre Rites/ Polka), Alice’s Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles)

Television includes: The Sandman, Doctors, Britannia, The Girlfriend Experience

Film includes: Femme, The Runner

Helena Lymbery_2025_c_ the artist_401526
The Queen Helena Lymbery

This is Helena’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Grace Pervades (Theatre Royal, Bath), Ballet Shoes, Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear; Treasure Island, This House, The Cat in the Hat, ...some trace of her, Women of Troy, Attempts on her Life, Iphigenia at Aulis, His Dark Materials, Wicked Yaar, Henry V (National Theatre), Richard III, Henry V, Measure For Measure (Globe), Britannicus, Watership Down, The Magic Carpet (Lyric, Hammersmith), Run Sister Run (Soho Theatre/Sheffield Theatres/Paines Plough), Dear Elizabeth (Gate Theatre), Queen Margaret (Royal Exchange Theatre), Pity, Rough Cuts, God Bless the Child, The Laws of War (Royal Court), Wolves Are Coming For You (Pentabus), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Original Cast - West End), We Want You To Watch (RashDash/National Theatre), The Secret Agent (Young Vic/Theatre O), After Dido (Young Vic/ENO) 

Television includes: Doctor Foster, Father Brown, Oliver Twist, Alastair McGowan's Big Impression, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, The Bill 

Film includes: London Road

 

 

Shaun McCourt_2025_c_ the artist_402338
Puppeteer Shaun McCourt

This is Shaun’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: In the Mouth of the Wolf (Barn Theatre), The Mousetrap (UK Tour), The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Windsors: Endgame, War Horse (West End), Blood Brothers (UK Tour), The Railway Children (Kings Cross Theatre), Imagine This (Union Theatre), Iolanthe (Wilton’s Music Hall), Bernstein’s Mass (Royal Festival Hall) 

Television includes: House of the Dragon

Workshops include: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Grinning Man (NT Studios), I Capture the Castle (NT Studios), The Attic (Theatre Royal Haymarket) 

Trained at: Guildford School of Acting

Corey Mitchell_2025_c_ the artist_405288
Puppeteer Corey Mitchell

This is Corey’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Mean Girls (Savoy Theatre), Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury Theatre), Mamma Mia (UK & International Tour), Saving Mozart (The Other Palace), Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (Hull New Theatre), Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Starlight Express (Bochum, Germany) 

Workshops include: The Greatest Showman (Disney Theatricals), You’ll Be Okay (Goldsmiths University), Ludala (Albany Theatre)

Television commercials includes: William Hill Racing Bet Builder 2025 campaign

Aki Nakagawa_2025_c_ the artist_402340
Puppeteer Aki Nakagawa

Previous RSC includes: My Neighbour Totoro 

Theatre includes: Tattooer (Charring Cross x Umeda Theatre), Lord of the Flies (Leeds Playhouse), Garden of Words (Park Theatre)  

Television includes: Boarders

Trained at: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and UPS Academy in Tokyo

Richard Riddell _2025_c_ the artist_405524
Bloodbottler Richard Riddell

Previous RSC includes: The Merchant of Venice, The Homecoming 

Theatre includes: Noughts & Crosses (Regent’s Park), Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (Chichester Festival Theatre), All Who Pass, Uncle Sasha the Butcher (Royal Court), Pastoral (Soho Theatre), After the Party (Criterion Theatre), Filumena (Almeida Theatre), Gabriel, Titus Andronicus, Comedy of Errors (Globe) 

Television includes: Foundation, Endeavour, Curfew, Bodyguard, The Terror, Barbarians Rising, Scott and Bailey, Doc Martin, Vera, The Fattest Man in Britain, Heartbeat, Penny Dreadful, Misfits, Jabberwock, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, Merlin, Waking the Dead, Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure

Film includes: Between the Lights, 55 Steps, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, The Merciless Beauty, Legend, Weekender, Blitz, Robin Hood, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Act of God, Enemy Lines, Dogging: A Love Story

Radio includes: Homefront

Trained at: Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Luke Sumner_2025_c_ the artist_406586
Captain Frith Luke Sumner

This is Luke’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre, West End), Bear Traps (Golden Goose Theatre), Big Shoes (Hope Theatre), The Liminoid (Cockpit Theatre) 

Television includes: Britney, So Beano!

Radio includes: Agendum, Jack & Millie

Voice work includes: Tales of the Risen Tide

Trained at: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Onioluwa Taiwo_2025_c_ the artist_402648
Puppeteer Onioluwa Taiwo

This is Onioluwa’s RSC debut 

Theatre Includes: The Creakers musical (Theatre Royal Plymouth), Geophonic 5, Ear Trumpet (Gobbledegook Theatre), Grandma & The Lion (Tall Tree Theatre), Patch’s Parade (Wiltshire Creative), The Story of Tam Lin (Celebrating Age Wiltshire) 

Trained at: University of Plymouth, National Youth Theatre

Ben Thompson_2025_c_ the artist_402341
Puppeteer Ben Thompson

Previous RSC includes: The Boy In The Dress

Theatre includes: There’s a Bear on my Chair (Southbank Centre/The Egg), The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium/Leicester Curve), 101 Dalmatians, Running Wild (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Animal Farm (Fiery Angel/Birmingham Rep), The Walk (Good Chance), Out of the Deep Blue (AutinDT), Die Zauberflote (Glyndebourne), The Town That Trees Built, The Marbleous Route Home (Young Vic), The Wizard of Oz, Winnie and Wilbur (Birmingham Rep), Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Globe), Kipper’s Snowy Day (Slot Machine),  The Rebel in Light (Ad Infinitum), The Lorax (Old Vic), Measure for Measure, Hamlet (The Factory), Treasure Island, The Light Princess, War Horse (National Theatre),  Before the Dawn (Hammersmith Apollo), Twelfth Night, Richard III (Globe/Apollo),  A Christmas Carol (National Theatre of Scotland), His Dark Materials (Birmingham Rep/West Yorkshire Playhouse), Faeries (ROH2), Madam Butterfly, The Magic Flute (ENO), Low Life (Blind Summit Theatre), Peter Pan (Dundee Rep) 

Television and film includes: Fungus the Bogeyman, Table Manners, Fantastic Beasts 2, Gravity, Life

Trained at: Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Sargon Yelda_2025_c_ the artist_401527
Tibbs Sargon Yelda

Previous RSC includes: The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, The Tempest 

Theatre includes: Birdsong (Bath Theatre Royal and Tour), The Crucible (Sheffield Crucible Theatre), Private Lives, The Band’s Visit (Donmar Warehouse), Hex, Antony and Cleopatra, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Dara, Emperor and Galilean, Mother Courage and Her Children (National Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Globe), Fanny and Alexander, King Lear (Old Vic), Human Animals, The Internet is Serious Business (Royal Court), Forget Me Not (Bush Theatre), Incognito (HighTide Festival/Newcastle Live/Bush Theatre), Moby Dick, The Cabinet of Dr Cagliari (Arcola/Simple 8), When The Rain Stops Falling (Almeida), Stovepipe (National Theatre/Bush Theatre), Salt Meets Wound (Theatre 503) 

Television includes: Treason, Dead Pixels 2, Dead Pixels, People Just Do Nothing, Endeavour, Strike: The Silkworm, The Cuckoo’s Calling, Innocent, Zen: VENDETTA, Compulsion, Midnight Man, Saddam’s Tribe 

Film includes: Close, Spectre, Dead Cat

 

The role of Sophie will be shared by Martha Bailey Vine, Elsie Laslett and Ellemie Shivers

The role of Kimberley will be shared by Maisy Lee, Charlotte Jones and Uma Patel