Sticky situation for characters at Guildhall Theatre

New Perspectives Theatre Company bring John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway's classic picture book The Giant Jam Sandwich to the stage, in a brand new production opening in association with Derby Live at Derby's Guildhall Theatre.

The show opens and runs there from Saturday, February 11-18.

The story goes… on one hot summer’s day, four million wasps invade the quiet village of Itching Down. The picnickers panic and the famer stops haymaking. The wasps are noisy, nasty and worst of all, they don’t mind who they sting! That is until the baker has an ingenious idea... to trap them in a jam sandwich the size of a mountain.

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Lord and Burroway’s classic book has been enjoyed around the world for over 45 years, endlessly translated and adapted for radio, television and large scale orchestra. To date however it has never been adapted for the stage, and New Perspectives are delighted to have the honour to bring Bap the Baker, Farmer Seed and Mayor Muddlenut live to audiences for the first time.

New Perspectives artistic director, Jack McNamara, said: “I read The Giant Jam Sandwich obsessively as a child and have encountered many people since who cite it as their favourite picture book. As a three-year-old, I accidentally dug up a wasp’s nest and was covered head to toe by an angry swarm. I managed to avoid serious injury, yet this story has served as a consolation to me ever since! I was astounded to learn from John Vernon Lord that in the 45 years since it was written The Giant Jam Sandwich has never been professionally staged in the UK. Everything about it chimes with our company ethos; the village hall setting, the Derbyshire birthplace of the writer and the wild imagination of the story.”

For ticket details, you can call the box office on 01332 255800.

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