The Hobbit production preview
Naledi award-winning actor Gamelihle Bovana lead the new production at National Children's Trust.
The preview of The Hobbit was held at the National Children’s Theatre Trust ( NCT ) this Sunday.
On Sunday, April 16, the NCT invited audiences to preview a play of The Hobbit. It tells the story of the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who leaves his home in Middle Earth with the wizard Gandalf, on a quest to help a group of dwarves to recover their home and their treasure from the Dragon Smaug.
This unique children’s play is based on a 2019 adaption by Greg Banks for the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, USA, and stars a versatile five people cast of talented young actors. The original novel was published in 1937 and written by JRR Tolkien and is now one of the best-selling books of all time. It originated as a bedtime story for the children of SA-born author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
“This production delivers all the highlights of Tolkien’s book,” says NTC CEO, Moira Katz. The stage version had no scary passages, it was a hugely entertaining piece of storytelling. The intimate NCT staging made the audience part of the show, asking them to imagine locations, props and action and even to join in the performance. The set, was inventively designed, painted and constructed by Sara Roberts, the costume manager.
“We build props and characters before the audience’s very eyes and even stage the Battle of the Five Armies using five actors. All it takes is some imagination,” said the director, Alan Swerdlow.
The show’s cast was led by Naledi award-winning actor Gamelihle Bovana, and the actors invite the audience into the story. The production will play from April 16 to next month 21. Swerdlow added that, The Hobbit is an opportunity for kids, parents and grandparents as well as schools to be part of something special.
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