Jason Watkins and Monica Dolan will lead the cast of Enda Walsh’s forthcoming adaptation of The Twits, taking on the roles of the title duo when the production premieres at the Royal Court in April.
Directed by John Tiffany with movement by his Let The Right One In collaborator Steven Hoggett, The Twits will bring Roald Dahl’s tale about the terrible twosome to the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from 7 April to 31 May.
Watkins and Dolan both return to the Royal Court following previous appearances at the venue. Being Human’s Watkins appeared in 2001’s Boy Gets Girl, but has more recently been seen on stage at the National Theatre, where his credits include Strange Interlude, Our Class and Landscape With Weapon.
Pride actress Dolan, whose recent television roles include Wolf Hall and The Casual Vacancy, was recently seen on the London stage in The Same Deep Water As Me at the Donmar Warehouse and Chalet Lines at the Bush Theatre. She returns to the Royal Court following roles in Birth Of A Nation, Sliding With Suzanne and The Glory Of Living.
The pair will be joined in the cast by Cait Davis, Aimée-Ffion Edwards, Oliver Llewellyn-Jenkins and Glyn Pritchard as the family of monkeys that are mistreated by the vile and nasty title characters.
Davis returns to the capital’s stage in the role of Monkey Mum following her performance in the Kristin Scott Thomas-led Electra at the Old Vic, while Luther star Edwards, who appeared in Royal Court hit Jerusalem in the West End and on Broadway, follows more recent roles in the Donmar Warehouse’s Trelawny Of The Wells and Fireface at the Young Vic to play Monkey Daughter.
Pritchard, who will play Monkey Father, has previously been seen on stage in productions including Black Album at the National Theatre and the RSC’s Othello and Llewellyn-Jenkins, who is best known for his screen appearances in The Story Of Tracy Beaker and BAFTA-winning drama Care, will take on the role of Monkey Son.
Walsh’s “mischievous” adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic will also see the addition of several new characters. Christine Entwisle (Hope, Royal Court) will play Tatooed Fortune Teller Lady, Sam Cox (‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) will take on the role of Yorkshire Terrier Man and Dwane Walcott (Coriolanus, Donmar Warehouse) plays Shy Waltzer Boy.
The production, which is suitable for ages eight and older, charts the story of The Twits, as the family of monkeys that they hold hostage in a cage and force to stand on their heads try to find a way to show them what for.
The Twits will open at the Royal Court following the current run of How To Hold Your Breath starring Maxine Peake, which closes on 21 March.