Roll up, roll up and get ready to travel around the world this summer with York Theatre Royal’s circus-themed spectacular.
A metaphorical big top tent will be setting up camp at York Theatre Royal this summer for a theatrical rollercoaster ride of acrobatics, aerial feats and humour.
Based on the classic Jules Verne novel, Around The World In 80 Days-ish is at York Theatre Royal from Thursday 18 July to Saturday 3 August 2024.
Director Juliet Forster’s adaptation introduces real life investigative journalist Nellie Bly in the fictional story of Phileas Fogg as he attempts to race across the world for a wager.
Nellie Bly, a now largely forgotten historical figure, actually did circumnavigate the world and in less time than the fictional Phileas. This version sets up the pair as rival round-the-world travellers, and puts Nellie back in the spotlight.
This show is a finely-tuned stage vehicle as this is the third time the show is being performed in York. The first iteration played to outdoor audiences post-Covid in 2021 and then last year toured up and down the country. Now it returns with a new cast and a few tweaks to the script.
Juliet said, “Jules Verne’s story is a lot of fun as the characters race against time to complete a full circuit of the earth, and in this version, fact and fiction also go head to head as Nellie Bly puts in an appearance.
“It’s a joyful, very energetic, very silly and highly acrobatic re-telling of the story, delivering the kind of experience that live theatre does best.”
The talented cast of five all play multiple roles in the show. Kiefer Moriarty plays Phileas Fogg and The Ringmaster, Maria Gray is Nellie Bly and Acrobat, Ambika Sharma is Audo and Trick Rider, David Abecassis is Passepartout and Clown, and Rowan Armitt-Brewster is Detective Fix and Knifethrower.
On playing real-life figure Nellie Bly, Maria said, “I’ve got goosebumps thinking about it because it’s a person I’d never heard of until I started researching this story.
“For me, it’s really inspiring because this was a woman in a time where women weren’t able to go around without a chaperone and she proved that you could, and she did.”
“With this show we want to inspire audiences two-fold,” Kiefer added. “We have the hero of Nellie Bly and also the amazing circus skills.
“What makes it so special is the lovely core story of wackiness and I’m really looking forward to that extra pop with the unexpected and bringing the two stories together for a new audience.”
Around The World In 80 Days-ish is a show that’s fun for all the family. York Theatre Royal are also hosting a Circus School, where children age 5-11 years old can learn the tricks of the circus trade in a pre-show workshop.
To find out more and to book your tickets for Around The World In 80 Days-ish, visit the York Theatre Royal website.