Following a record-breaking panto season with the acclaimed Red Riding Hood, Greenwich Theatre has announced a new programme of family shows for February half-term.

The headline show is a UK premiere – the first UK touring production of an American musical version of RAPUNZEL , by the Emmy Award-winning team behind the mega-hit television series Friends.

Telling the classic story of the girl forced to live alone with nothing but her hair and her witch of a mother, the show follows Rapunzel as she dreams of seeing the outside world, until one day a young prince and his trusty valet come across her tower. Before the Prince and Rapunzel can have their “happily ever after”, however, they have to face the witch’s wrath and some hilarious obstacles.

Produced by Immersion Theatre, the company behind last year’s sell-out production of The Wind In The Willows, and with book and lyrics by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and music by Michael Skloff, the composer behind the iconic “I’ll Be There For You”, this is set to be a highlight of the year’s family programme at Greenwich Theatre.

Alongside Rapunzel, the theatre have lined up a unique show which takes place in its own custom-built mini performance dome, built on the stage of the theatre for just 40 people at a time. In THE LOST THINGS a boy falls and finds himself in a dark and terrifying new world. It is a world of lost things: car keys, wedding rings, dads, and a mysterious girl who is building an amazing machine. Created especially for families and children aged 9 and above, THE LOST THINGS is a dark fairy-tale set in a fantastical world, where nothing is quite as it seems, all about losing things and finding things you didn't even know you were looking for.

For younger children, the theatre is offering Thingumajig Theatre’s charming adaptation of THE UGLY DUCKLING, based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. In the much-loved tale, life isn’t much fun for the misfit ‘duckling’. Teased and tormented, he dreams of kindlier places beyond the farm gates. But will he survive out there? The production is brought to life in Thingumajig’s acclaimed style - beautiful puppet characters, live music, captivating story-telling and a generous sprinkling of theatre magic.

The programme is yet another example of why Greenwich Theatre is now heralded as one of the country’s most important supporters and programmers of family theatre. Artistic and Executive Director James Haddrell said, “from the launch of the Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival eight years ago, to our participation in the national Family Arts Festival and our co-production of family theatre on tour around the UK, we continue to work to bring the finest theatre for children, families and young people to our historic venue in Greenwich. Having celebrated our biggest selling pantomime yet, we are now looking forward to a busy half-term holiday here at the theatre.”

THE LOST THINGS – SAT 13 & SUN 14 FEBRUARY
THE UGLY DUCKLING – MON 15 FEBRUARY
RAPUNZEL – THU 18-SUN 21 FEBRUARY
Box Office 020 8858 7755 | www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk