Cast and creatives announced for Waiting For Anya at The Barn Theatre

Casting and creatives have been announced for the world premiere of Simon Reade’s stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Waiting For Anya.

The production runs at The Barn Theatre in Cirencester from 27 March – 5 May 2023.

This will be the first stage adaptation of Morpurgo’s 1990 Carnegie Medal shortlisted novel, which tells the story of Jo, his grandfather and a widow who help smuggle Jewish children across the border from occupied southern France into Spain during World War II.

Making up the cast of Waiting For Anya are Christopher Bianchi (Othello) as Henri, Tom Hendryk (Ted Lasso) as Lieutenant Weissman, Jack Heydon (Red Rose Chain Associate Artist) as Jo Lalande, Andrea Johannes (Housewarming) as Lise, Yiftach Mizrahi (From Here To Eternity, Annie Get Your Gun) as Benjamin, Alison Reid (An Elephant in the Garden) as Alice Horcada, Perri Snowdon (War Horse) as Pierre and Christopher Staines (Amy’s View, Hamlet) as Corporal Wilhelm.

Mark Leipacher directs with composer Asaf Zohar, musical director & sound designer, set & costume design by Ceci Calf and lighting design by Murong Li.

Michael Morpurgo said of the production: “The Butterfly Lion, The Mozart Question, Elephant in the Garden, Private Peaceful. The wonderful Barn has put on play after play adapted from my books, and every one has been extraordinary and unforgettable.

“And now Waiting for Anya. This is inspired by a true story of a small community living in their mountain village in the Pyrenees under Nazi Occupation in WW2, of their courage in aiding the escape of Jewish children over the mountains into neutral Spain.

“I happened upon the village of Lescun some 30 years ago, met the people there, listened to their stories, saw the sheeps, cheese being made during the Transhumance, heard the music they sing, walked the fields and tracks the refugees walked, saw the caves where they hid, stood atop a mountain, one foot in Spain, one in France. I had to write their story. I called it Waiting for Anya

“And now we have the play, commission by The Barn, and written with wonderful insight by Simon Reade, who has adapted so many of my stories so perfectly. I cannot wait to see this production, to be transported from Cirencester to Lescun, to hear the music, hear the eagles’ cry, to live the story, again for me, but maybe for you the first time.

“Thank you to The Barn, thank you Simon, thank you cast and crew, and thank you for coming.”

For more information and tickets, visit barntheatre.org.uk