Royal Court Theatre's Giant, starring two-time Tony winner John Lithgow as children's author Roald Dahl, begins its transfer to London's West End April 26.
The Mark Rosenblatt-penned work plays a limited run at the Harold Pinter Theatre, performing through August 2. Opening night is May 1. Read reviews from the earlier London run here.
The play comes on the heels of a broader cultural conversation about Dahl's work and the prejudice that was embedded in many of his most beloved stories. In 2023, hundreds of words in the author's books were either altered or omitted from future printings in order to remove countless negative references to race, skin color, ethnicity, gender, disabilities, and more.
Set in 1983 when a particularly vicious public outburst of antisemitism drew public outcry against Dahl shortly before the publication of his story The Witches, Giant is directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Lithgow is joined by Elliot Levey as Tom Maschler, Dahl's Jewish publisher, Aya Cash (The Boys, The Franchise, You鈥檙e the Worst) as U.S. publisher Jessie Stone, Tessa Bonham Jones (Dune: Prophecy, The Young Woman and the Sea) as Hallie, and Olivier nominee Rachael Stirling (The Divine Mrs S) as Felicity Crosland. Casting was by Arthur Carrington.
The West End production also features lighting design by Anna Watson and sound design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite. General management is by Short Street Productions Ltd. Mark Rubinstein is the executive producer.
Brian and Dayna Lee, Stephanie Kramer and Nicole Kramer, Josh Fiedler, and Robyn Goodman are producing the West End run.
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