PRESS RELEASE
10 August 2015
Immediate release
AN OUTRAGEOUSLY ENTERTAINING AND DELICIOUSLY DARK TALE
FROM THE WRITER OF WEST END HIT MATILDA THE MUSICAL
TOURS TO 22 VENUES ACROSS THE UK THIS AUTUMN
Our Teacher’s a Troll, an outrageously entertaining and deliciously dark tale from the writer of West End
hit Matilda the Musical, begins a nationwide tour this autumn, which will see it visit 22 venues across the
UK from 9 September– 15 November 2015.
Two terrible twins with a talent for turmoil rule their school with terror and tyranny. That is, until the
arrival of a new head teacher with green scaly skin, sharp gnarly fangs, and a long spiky tail…
Can the twins save the school from the child-eating Troll? Can they get Brussels sprouts in peanut butter
taken off the lunch menu? And most importantly, can naughtiness prevail? Come and find out and be
outrageously entertained!
From Dennis Kelly, the writer of award-winning West End show Matilda the Musical, this is an exciting
collaboration between Paines Plough and Half Moon Theatre, fresh from its success this summer at
London’s Southbank Centre, Brighton Festival and Edinburgh Fringe 2015.
The colourfully comic show for ages 7+ and their accompanying trolls (or parents) features actors Sian
Reese-Williams (Genesis Walker in Emmerdale) and Abdul Salis (Curtis Cooper on Casualty, Doctor Who,
Love Actually, National Theatre production of War Horse).
Chris Riddell, who was recently appointed the next Children’s Laureate, drew the distinctive Troll
illustration for the show’s publicity, which has already sparked the imaginations of young audiences.
Chris Elwell, Director of Half Moon commented: “We’re thrilled to be working with Paines Plough on this
exciting national tour of Our Teacher’s a Troll, by the darkly humorous writer Dennis Kelly. It’s a show that
celebrates the rebellious potential of children, and how they can be empowered to change the world, and
we look forward to entertaining audiences across the country with this witty, theatrical treat. Prepare to let
your imaginations run wild!”
ENDS
LISTINGS DETAILS
A Paines Plough and Half Moon production
Our Teacher’s a Troll
By Dennis Kelly
#OurTeachersATroll
TOUR DETAILS
Wed 9–Sun 13 September – Roundabout @ Corn Exchange, Newbury
Wed 16–Sun 20 September – Roundabout @ The Lowry, Salford
Wed 23–Sun 27 September – Roundabout @ Lincoln Performing Arts Centre
Wed 30 Sep-Sun 4 October – Roundabout @ Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
Wed 7–Sun 11 October – Roundabout @ Theatre Royal, Margate
Wed 14–Sun 18 October – Roundabout @ Appetite, Stoke-on-Trent
Wed 21 -Fri 23 October – TakeOff Festival, County Durham
Sat 24 October – Arts Centre Washington, Tyne & Wear
Sun 25 October - Old Fire Station, Carlisle
Tue 27 October – Brewhouse, Burton
Wed 28 October – Derby Theatre
Thu 29 October – Nottingham Lakeside Arts
Fri 30 October – Royal & Derngate, Northampton
Sat 31 October – The Castle, Wellingborough
Mon 2 – Thu 5 November – Half Moon Theatre, London E1
Fri 6 November – Tarvin Community Centre, Tarvin, Chester
Sat 7 November - Whitby Hall, Action Transport Theatre, Ellesmere Port
Sun 8 November – Z-arts, Manchester
Tue 10 November – South Holland Centre, Spalding
Wed 11 November – Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton
Thu 12 – Sat 14 November – the egg, Bath
Sun 15 November – The North Wall, Oxford
CAST
Sian Reese-Williams
Abdul Salis
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer:
Direction:
Design:
Lighting:
Sound:
Original Music:
Movement:
Associate Sound:
Creative Consultant:
Dennis Kelly
George Perrin
Lucy Osborne
Emma Chapman
Tom Gibbons
Dom Kennedy
Kate Sagovsky
Dom Kennedy
Chris Elwell
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information or to arrange interviews, photographs and press tickets please contact Stephen
Beeny on 020 7709 8907 or stephen@halfmoon.org.uk
A selection of images can be downloaded from Dropbox at the link below. Please credit Richard Davenport
for the photographs and Chris Riddell for the illustration.
www.dropbox.com/sh/1qyep2wsooc1yzm/AABa7iidbAkNqLHXpoCYn4LXa?dl=0
ABOUT HALF MOON
Half Moon is a local organisation with a national remit, committed to supporting artists and young people
at every stage of their creative development. Working from their base in East London, Half Moon
specialises in new writing and artform development, acting as a gateway organisation that provides
pathways for progression and experimentation. Half Moon’s wide-ranging programme reaches 49,000
people annually and engages those who are often excluded from arts activity. Half Moon’s activity includes
a season of professional plays for young audiences, national touring productions and an extensive creative
learning programme, including six youth theatres.
Half Moon is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England and receives regular funding from
the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Website: www.halfmoon.org.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/halfmoontheatre
Twitter: @HalfMoonTheatre
ABOUT PAINES PLOUGH
Paines Plough is the UK’s national theatre of new plays. They commission and produce the best playwrights
and tour their plays far and wide.
Paines Plough was formed in 1974 over a pint of Paines bitter in the Plough pub. Since then they’ve
produced more than 130 new productions by world renowned playwrights like Stephen Jeffreys, Abi
Morgan, Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill, Dennis Kelly and Mike Bartlett. They’ve toured those plays to
hundreds of places from Manchester to Moscow to Maidenhead.
Paines Plough celebrated 40 years in 2014 with their furthest-reaching programme of work, which saw 12
productions touring to 54 places around the UK, featuring the work of 104 playwrights.
Website: www.painesplough.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/painesploughHQ
Twitter: @PainesPlough
For press enquiries please contact: Stephen Beeny
Communications Manager
stephen@halfmoon.org.uk
020 7709 8907