Fantastic Mr Fox

The Bridgetown Repertory’s end of year shows this year will be ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. This production is based on the book by beloved children’s author Roald Dahl and adapted for the stage by David Wood.

The stage play will be co-directed by a mother and daughter team, Emma McGuire along with her daughter Ella.

Emma gives us some insight in to how the production is unfolding, “There is a cast of thirty-six, the cast is made up of twenty children aged over eight years with four teenagers and twelve adults.

“Some of the young ones cast in the play have come up through the ranks in Kids Acting on Stage (KAOS) and Bridgetown Youth Theatre (BYT) repertory theatre programs.

“They are a wonderful group. We have divided the young actors into mentored groups with adult actors. This has provided them with an opportunity to workshop their parts in the show, coming back with thoughtful and creative input into their roles.

“We have also brought together some talented creative people to assist with the production, Shirley Hassen is handling the costumes, Caroline Morling is the Music Director and musician Jeff Sheahan has composed four songs especially for the play. Robert Benson-Perry has designed the set, which will be on a split level to create an above ground scene and an underground setting for the animals.

“Artist Emily Smith is painting the Woodland scene backdrop and we have Abi O’Wallace, who is fourteen, designing the illustration for the poster.

“Mrs Fox is being played by newcomer Erica Caldwell with Mr Fox being played by Anthony Flemming.

Emma continues, “This is my daughter’s and my first time directing at the Repertory. We have had only six weeks of rehearsal time to have everything to come together, but so far, we are on track and hope it will be a memorable play.

“At the heart of the play is the journey of Mr Fox and his family. It is written as allegory, exploring the moral issue of stealing and the effects it has on oneself and others. It is also a play that celebrates the importance of family and community and the world as a ‘village’ where everyone helps each other.”

The Roald Dahl book ‘The Fantastic Mr Fox’, was inspired by a 100-year-old tree that Roald Dahl had in his back yard, in which he had imagined a fox family living underneath it. The story came out of the wonderful tales he told his children about the tree and the fox family.

This multi-generational drama has something for everyone. The storyline follows a clever fox and his family who are living in a den under a tree. The fox is providing an abundance of food for his family which he is stealing from the local farmers.

Angered by the raids, the farmers decide to kill Mr. Fox. They camp out near his den, and when Mr. Fox emerges, they open fire but only manage to shoot off his tail.

Then in the ensuing chase the determined farmers end up demolishing the site and felling the tree with digging equipment while attempting to dig Mr. Fox and his family out from the den.

They discover the Foxes have dug an escape tunnel. So, the farmers decide to wait it out, to be there at the ready for when the foxes must, at some time surface for food and water. So meanwhile, the farmers wait at the tunnel mouth armed with guns.

Does the fox have the smarts to outwit the farmers? What ruse will he think of to be forever remembered as the ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’?

The play will be staged on Friday 2nd December, Saturday 3rd and a Sunday matinee 4th, Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and a second Sunday matinee on the 11th.