Full cast announced for Tortoise and the Hare
07 Feb 2023 | General News
This half term, Hull Truck Theatre are bringing back their much-loved children’s production of Tortoise and the Hare for audiences and communities. Tom Saunders and Luke Pearson’s re-imagining of the classic tale is the perfect entertainment for young children and their families, in the city and beyond, during the February half-term break. Directed by Tom Saunders, Tortoise and the Hare plays at Hull Truck Theatre from 16 – 18 February 2023 and encourages young audiences to see the fun in playing games together, being active and eating healthily. The session will start with an arts and crafts activity for families to get involved with, where the children will have the opportunity to make their own games. The production is recommended for audiences aged 4+. First staged at Hull Truck Theatre in May 2021, on the back of mid-pandemic lockdown, Tortoise and The Hare in 2023 will also visit six community venues as well as six schools, where after school performances will invite parents to join their children to experience the delight of the show. After completing its tour locally, the production will go on to play at Birmingham Rep during their half-term break the following week. Tom Saunders, Director, said: “We’re really thrilled that this fun and playful production is set to return to Hull Truck Theatre during the February half-term break. We’ve given the classic tale of Tortoise and The Hare a creative twist and are delighted that we have both Levi Payne and Josie Morley on board to help us bring this captivating story to life! “We’re passionate about giving young people the opportunity to both see and engage in live theatre. This young local audience is hugely important and central to our mission and vision at Hull Truck Theatre, especially as we look to the future having just celebrated our 50th anniversary. We have six performances taking place in our Studio Space over the course of two days and are looking forward to welcoming existing and new young audiences, and their families, to escape the everyday and get stuck into an enjoyable craft activity followed by an entertaining performance.” Levi Payne will take on the role of Hare. Levi is an actor based and born in Doncaster. He trained at the University of Central Lancashire and was a member of the regional young actors’ ensemble with Hull Truck Theatre (2017-2018). Since then, he has worked on a range of Theatre and TV productions, including Jack, Mum and the Beanstalk (Hull Truck Theatre, 2022); Jeckyll & Hyde (Derby Theatres/Queens Theatre Hornchurch); Teechers Leavers ’22 (Hull Truck Theatre); Love Hurts (New Vic Theatre); Mother Courage (Red Ladder) and Brassic, Coronation Street and Pond Life (Open Palm Films). Levi also works as a Youth Theatre Practitioner/Assistant at Cast Doncaster. Tortoise will be played by Josie Morley. Josie is a Hull born actor musician who trained at the University of Hull and graduated with a degree in Drama and Theatre Practice in 2013. She has worked with theatre companies and artists such as Middle Child Theatre, The Roaring Girls, Tom Wells, The John Godber Company, Brick By Brick, Back To Ours, Periplum and She Productions. Josie most recently appeared as Marion in Robin Hood, Prince of Thorngumbald - her ninth rock and roll Panto with Middle Child Theatre. Her credits include: 7 Alleys (Voice Over), Us Against Whatever’ (Hull Truck Theatre/Liverpool Everyman), Beach Body Ready, (Hull Truck Theatre/Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe), Back To Bransholme (Back To Ours), It’s Different For Girls’ (UK tour), The Kings Of Hull & Long Live The Kings Of Hull (Hull New Theatre), Weekend Rockstars (Edinburgh Festival/UK tour), Broken Little Robots (Assemble Fest/Hull Truck Theatre), This Might Hurt & The Empty Nesters Club (UK tours), Omniscience (Assemble Fest), Modern Life Is Rubbish (Fruit) and Cosmic (Hull Truck Theatre/tour). Tickets for Tortoise and The Hare are on sale now and can be purchased online here or via 01482 323638. Tortoise and The Hare has been made possible by the UK Prosperity Fund.
