We round up the reviews for this stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story, playing at the theatre until the 7th February 2026.
The Guardian: *** “Audiences will have enough fun but, while intermittently showing the RSC’s artistic power, this sadly doesn’t feel like the giant hit its finances need.”
Everything Theatre: ***** “The stirring background music also perfectly elevates the exhilarating atmosphere. When the BFG flies to London from Giant Country, illuminated models of London landmarks soar past him. He is physically lifted by other actors to create the illusion of moving rapidly through the sky. The background displays darkly swirling seas. The overall effect is marvellous.”
All That Dazzles: *** “It is, at least, performed with aplomb. John Leader takes on the role of the BFG, with huge boots to fill, and brings charisma and magic to the role even when he’s just voicing the puppet. There’s even more joy in the double-act of Helena Lymbery as the Queen and Sargon Yelda as her butler Tibbs, particularly in their bewildering interactions with military captains Smith and Frith (Philip Labey and Luke Sumner), who, I dare say, risk stealing the show.”
Theatre & Tonic: ***** Overall, The BFG fizzes with utter brilliance and is filled to the brim with everything you would expect from a world-class RSC production. It works so well as a play, as opposed to a musical, that it retains your attention throughout. The BFG sparks your imagination, leaves you in awe, and has an enormous amount of heart that you will be telling everyone you know about this show. It’s phizz-whizzingly brilliant!”
WhatsOnStage: **** “This is a glorious show, fun for all the family, and it was noticeable how all ages found something to absorb them, but it doesn’t transport in quite the same way.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “John Leader is a suitably approachable BFG with a reassuring voice and a delight in his work, mixing dreams and making magic, while Richard Riddell’s evil Bloodbottler is suitably menacing, determined to eat children if he wants to.”
The British Theatre Guide: “This is a big, friendly triumph. Theatrical in the fullest sense, unafraid of darkness, and generous with wonder. It trusts children to handle fear and adults to remember what it feels like to be small in a giant world and to discover that smallness is not the same as powerlessness. The RSC’s festive slot has rarely felt so imaginatively alive.”
The iPaper: *** “Tom Wells’s adaptation is on the slight side but still feels padded out at points; it also manages to render occasional plot developments a little bewildering, which is not ideal for a family audience. Even so, the eternal lure of Dahl’s storytelling will undoubtedly attract spectators of all sizes.”
West End Best Friend: ***** “The RSC’s The BFG is, quite simply, captivating. The cast, the score, the lighting and the puppets come together to create a rich and imaginative world filled with heart. It transports you into the realm of giants and leaves you with a sense of joy and the comforting belief that kindness, however small, can make the world a better place.”
The Stage: **** “Roald Dahl’s tale comes to magical life in this RSC production.”
To find out more visit: https://www.rsc.org.uk/the-bfg/