Roald Dahl’s classic story is heading to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 25 November 2025 to 31 January 2026, before heading to the Chichester Festival Theatre from 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026.
The Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre and the Roald Dahl Story Company have announced the lead casting for its upcoming production of The BFG, set to head to the stage later this year and in 2026.
It has been confirmed that John Leader will step into the oversized shoes of Roald Dahl’s beloved character, the BFG himself. John was last seen with the RSC in The Merry Wives of Windsor and The School for Scandal, both in 2024. His previous theatre credits include Wuthering Heights, Peter Pan and War Horse at the National Theatre, A Monster Calls at The Old Vic and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre.
Talking about the news, the production’s director Daniel Evans said: “Finding the actor to play our eponymous hero, BFG, has been a giant undertaking in so many ways. We knew that this crucial bit of casting was an essential piece of the puzzle. After all, it is the BFG, alongside Sophie and The Queen, who are the main trio of our story. Through each other’s friendship and allyship, they find the imagination and the strength to defeat the human-guzzling giants and save children everywhere.
John Leader brings immense warmth, generosity and humility to the role – all essential qualities for our BFG. He also has a gleaming and vivid imagination. John will be working alongside a highly skilled team of puppeteers as part of a cast of eighteen, to bring Tom Wells’ magical new script to the stage and we look forward to sharing more exciting casting news within the coming weeks.”
Roald Dahl’s story is being adapted for the stage by Tom Wells (The Kitchen Sink, Jumpers for Goalposts).
One extraordinary night, a young orphan named Sophie is snatched by a giant and taken far away to Giant Country.
There she learns that human-eating giants are guzzling ‘norphans’ the world over. But she soon discovers that her new friend, the BFG, is different – he’s a dream-catching, snozzcumber-munching gentle soul who refuses to eat humans.
While other giants terrorise the world, the BFG ignites Sophie’s imagination, and they devise a daring plan to save children everywhere. In the end, the smallest human bean and the gentlest giant prove that a dream can change the world.
The creative team for the production includes: Puppetry Designer and Director, Toby Olié; Set Designer, Vicki Mortimer; Costume Designer, Kinnetia Isidore; Lighting Designer, Zoe Spurr; Video Designer, Akhila Krishnan; Illusions, Chris Fisher; Composer, Oleta Haffner; Sound Designer, Carolyn Downing; Choreographer and Movement Director, Ira Mandela Siobhan; Puppetry Co-Designer, Daisy Beattie; and Senior Set Design Associate, Matt Hellyer. The Casting Director is Christopher Worrall CDG; and the Children’s Casting Director is Verity Naughton CDG.
To book tickets for the RSC run of the production click here. For the Chichester Festival Theatre run click here.