Hansel and Gretel offers sweet Christmas treat for youngsters at Nottingham Playhouse

Youngsters are in a for a sweet treat this Christmas as the cast is announced for an enchanting show.

Nottingham Playhouse has now announced the cast for its Christmas show for younger children, Hansel and Gretel, starring a Newark native.

Specially created for children aged three to eight, the brand-new version of the classic tale is a perfect introduction to live theatre for young audiences.

Hansel and Gretel are lost in the enchanted forest with no breadcrumbs to follow home.

Cold and tired, they stumble upon a cosy cottage made from delicious gingerbread and are invited inside — but this hideaway in the woods may not be as sweet as it seems.

Join Hansel and Gretel as they meet creatures from the forest, get into scrapes, meet a witch and find their way back home, and they may even need the audience’s help along the way.

Full to the brim with music, magic and plenty of opportunities to join in, the 50-minute-long adventure is a festive treat for little ones and their grown-ups.

Maya Thompson plays the feisty Gretel as well as many fabulous forest creatures.

Originally from Newark, Maya performed at Nottingham Playhouse as a child and is now making her return as a professional. She graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2020 and has played Auntie Jolie in Anna Hibiscus’ ‘Song’ in Sheffield Theatres.

Maya said: “Marshmallow trees do exist, don’t listen to Hansel.”

The more thoughtful Hansel is played by Megan Vaughan-Thomas, who also plays the house-proud Witchtastic.

Megan is an actor, theatre maker and director who trained for two years at Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris and at Circomedia.

Beth Shouler, director, said: “We met so many talented actors from the East Midlands. I'm delighted to be working with Maya and Megan, who brought laughter — so much laughter — curiosity and warmth to the characters. I'm looking forward to audiences meeting Hansel, Gretel and Witchtastic. They're in for a real treat."

Hansel and Gretel is the latest in a long tradition of Christmas shows which Nottingham Playhouse has produced and toured to schools.

For the fourth year running, this show will contain Creative Captions, which are videos, images and words shown on a digital screen integrated into the set.

It aims to help young people, those with additional communication needs or those who speak English as a second language, to understand and follow the story.

Hansel and Gretel, which is sponsored by Nottingham City Transport, is also being produced to Theatre Green Book standards, meaning at least 50% of materials will have had a previous life and at least 65% of materials will be reused or recycled afterwards.

The roles of director, writer and composer for the production were filled by an open call-out, and all three creatives selected are from the region.

Adapting the original story is writer Monika Johnson, and composer David Gibb will bring the adventure to life with captivating music.

It is directed by Beth Shouler and Playhouse Prize winner Samuel Fransch is designer for the show.

Following it’s run at Nottingham Playhouse, from December 7 to December 31, Hansel and Gretel will go on a regional tour including schools, in January 2024.