Fans of the surreal world of Dr Seuss are in for a fantastical, bombastical and songtastical treat this Christmas with the premiere of musical Seussical.
Playing from 4 December to 6 January at the Arts theatre, Seussical features music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the Tony Award-winning team behind Ragtime The Musical, and includes a sprinkling of eccentric comedy by Monty Python’s Eric Idle.
Based on the hugely popular, best-selling books of Dr Seuss, Seussical sees the famous Cat in the Hat take a journey in a strange and exciting world full of bad-boy monkeys, fantastical fish and stripy hats.
Audiences will meet Horton the Elephant, who discovers an entire world floating out of control through the universe on a speck of dust. This is the home of the Whos, including Jojo, a Who with “thinks” that defy all description. Horton and Jojo have to find a way to save Who from a world of naysayers and dangers.
If this wasn’t drama enough, Horton faces another challenge… he’s been left alone to guard an abandoned egg, abandoned by none other than Mayzie La Bird. Caught between a dust speck and his incubating egg, Horton feels truly alone in the universe, but while he faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and ends up on trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him.
It may sound complicated but, following the full length musical’s Broadway premiere, this colourful specially shortened version for children has toured all over America.
Featuring extravagantly named songs including The People Versus Horton The Elephant, Egg, Nest And Tree and The One Feather Tail Of Miss Gertrude McFuzz, Seussical is directed by Phillip Rowntree with choreography by Maddy Mutch. Details of casting are yet to be announced.