Five great plays…which reinvent classic stories

Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales adapted for the stage by Philip Wilson

Cast: flexible, up 42f and 100m

Synopsis: What is that, trailing your footsteps, breathing softly down your neck? In this magical stage version of master-storyteller Philip Pullman’s retelling of the original Grimm Tales, meet familiar characters – like Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel – and some unexpected ones too, such as Hans-My-Hedgehog, the Goose Girl at the Spring and the remarkable Thousandfurs.

Why it’s great: Full of deliciously dark twists and turns, this thrillingly theatrical adaptation brings the tales to life in all their glittering, macabre brilliance. The published script offers 12 tales, available to perform in whichever combination fits your requirements.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, adapted by Chris Bush

Cast: 4f 2m doubling (large cast 30+ possible)

Synopsis: Jane Eyre may be poor, obscure, plain and little, but she has heart and soul – and plenty of it. Chris Bush’s witty and fleet-footed adaptation lays bare the beating heart of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, while staying true to its revolutionary spirit.

Why it’s great: As described by The Reviews Hub, this acclaimed stage version by the writer of The Changing Room ‘deals wittily with the entire book, but concentrates on the most telling scenes, linking the whole thing up with song and dance’. It can be performed by a large cast, or a smaller cast with playful doubling, providing lots of opportunities for actor-musicians with a plethora of 19th-century pop hits.

Wendy & Peter Pan by Ella Hickson

Cast: 4f, 17m doubling (up to 6f 22m); version for smaller cast also available

Synopsis: A thrilling new version of the much-loved story, which puts the character of Wendy firmly centre stage. In 1908 London, Wendy Darling and her brothers sleep peacefully in their bedroom – until into their lives tumbles a mischievous boy called Peter, followed by a fractious fairy called Tink. With the aid of a little fairy dust, Wendy agrees to fly with Peter to Neverland, seeing not only the promise of an awfully big adventure, but also the chance to rediscover the key to her parents’ lost happiness.

Why it’s great: First staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company, this adaptation is refreshingly modern but never loses the charm of the original. It’s full of magic, adventure and strong female roles.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Rona Munro

Cast: 3-6f 4-9m plus 1f/m

Synopsis: An 18-year-old girl, Mary Shelley, dreams up a monster whose tragic story will capture the imaginations of generations to come. A young scientist by the name of Frankenstein breathes life into a gruesome body. Banished into an indifferent world, Frankenstein’s creature desperately seeks out his true identity, but the agony of rejection and a broken promise push him into darkness. Dangerous and vengeful, the creature threatens to obliterate Frankenstein and everyone he loves, in a ferocious and bloodthirsty hunt for his maker.

Why it’s great: This inventive feminist adaptation of the Gothic masterpiece places Shelley herself amongst the action as she wrestles with her creation and with the stark realities facing revolutionary young women, then and now.

Jekyll & Hyde by Evan Placey after Robert Louis Stevenson

Cast: 8-13f 8-16m

Synopsis: Everyone has another face they hide behind… In this radical reimagining of the classic tale, civilised society meets seedy Soho in a thrilling collision of Victorian England with the here and now.

Why it’s great: Written by the author of Girls Like That and Pronoun, and premiered by the National Youth Theatre, this quick-witted adaptation offers fantastic opportunities for a young ensemble.

These plays are all published and licensed for performance by Nick Hern Books. http://nickhernbooks.co.uk