What's that smell? Always check for gloves, wigs and pinched feet!

Who are completely bald and always wear wigs, have curved fingernails hidden by gloves and are without toes but force their feet into narrow, fashionable shoes??

They are The Witches and they are coming to Dunedin!

The Grand Witch's plot is to eliminate all children by feeing them sweets and turning them into mice! The Boy and his grandmother must use all of their wits and cleverness to defeat The Witches' evil scheme!

FORTUNE PRESENTS NZ PREMIERE OF ROALD DAHL’S THE WITCHES!!!!!

Children beware! A nasty coven of Witches are on the loose and they’re heading to the Fortune Theatre!

From September 1 the Grand High Witch and her gruesome gang of malevolent mischief makers, take up residence at the Fortune Theatre. From here they aim to execute a rather unsavoury plan; to take over the sweet shops, poison all the children with chocolate and transform them into mice... that’s how truly evil these witches are.
Eek! So, will these wickedest of all witches win? Or will the children be rescued from a life of rodent misery? Come to the Fortune Theatre and find out as Roald Dahl’s magical and award-winning tale is brought to life on the Fortune stage.

The Witches is based on the classic story by Roald Dahl and reveals the whole ghastly truth about these horrible creatures. It’s the story of what happens when one brave boy gets tangled up with a whole conference of witches at a seaside hotel.

Heather O'Carroll returns to the Fortune to play the Grand High Witch. A graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School and Victoria University she was last seen here in the 2004 production of Netballers. In Wellington she has appeared at Circa Theatre in The Country, The Cherry Orchard and The Shape of Things (winning a Chapman Tripp Award for Best Supporting Actress for this role), at Bats Theatre in Albert Speer and in the SEEyd Company productions of In Salt and Sand. She was a member of The Bacchanals company which staged Titus Andronicus, Volpone and The Jew of Malta. In London she has appeared in productions of Cyrano de Bergerac and Twelfth Night.

Joining the cast fresh from the Fortune's current production of Hitchcock Blonde will be local actor Mark Neilson. Since training at Allen Hall and the Otago Institute of Theatre, Television and Radio he has also been seen at the Fortune in The Jungle Book, at the Globe in American Buffalo and on television in The Pretender.

Mary Sutherland has been seen at the Fortune previously in Three Tall Women, Dirty Weekends, Secret Bridesmaids' Business and the touring production of Hitting Fifty.

Douglas Kamo directed the Fortune production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change earlier this year. Since then he has appeared in the Dunedin Operatic Society production of Beauty and the Beast playing Lumiere. He will be remembered by Fortune audiences for his performance here in Kiwifruits. A very experienced music-theatre performer he toured Australasia in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and was in the New Zealand revival company of Chicago. His television appearances have included Xena Warrior Princess, Shortland Street and Street Legal and for two years he was a Lotto presenter.

Sara Georgie Johnston is another popular Fortune face who was seen earlier this year in Waiting for Gateaux and last year in Things We Do For Love and Lulu. Her earlier appearances include Lend Me a Tenor, The Pied Piper, A Perfect Wedding, The Taming of the Shrew and The Wind in the Willows.

Local actor Danny Still returns to the Fortune for his first role since appearing in The Beauty Queen of Lenane. He made his Fortune debut in 1995 in Falling from Grace.

Anna Nicholas impressed Fortune audiences two years ago in her debut in the 2004 Otago Arts Festival world premiere production of Home Land.

Nicola Colson is a recent graduate of Toi Whakaari: the New Zealand Drama School in Wellington. Before undertaking her studies there she made her Fortune debut in the company's world premiere production of Brian McNeill's What an Exhibition!

Phoebe Smith finally makes her Fortune debut in this production, having acted, directed and written work everywhere else.

The Fortune will be introducing two exciting new performers to local audiences in this production of The Witches. They are Clarke Fulton and Ben Sparrow who play The Boy and Bruno.

Well-known local actress and choreographer, Caroline Claver, returns to the Fortune to direct this New Zealand premiere production of The Witches. Her previous work as a director at the Fortune includes a number of children’s theatre shows along with the 1999 production of Closer.

The striking set for the Fortune Theatre production of The Witches will be designed by the company's head of design, Peter King. The colourful costumes have been designed by the company's Wardrobe Mistress, Maryanne Wright-Smyth, and the magical lighting and sound effects by the recently appointed Ulli Briese.

With the support of the Dunedin City Council and the Community Trust of Otago, the Fortune's Education Officer has arranged FREE Family Fun Days activities to take place in the theatre on the three Sundays during the season of The Witches.

The Fortune has been conscious of the need to schedule this production at family friendly times and so has altered its normal schedule of performances. Tuesday evening performances of The Witches will commence as usual at 6pm and Wednesday to Friday evening performances will commence at 6.30pm. Saturday evening performances will start at 7pm and Sunday matinees at 4pm, following the Family Fun Days activities.

Bookings are now open at the Fortune Theatre box office (phone 477 8323) or via the company's website (www.fortunetheatre.co.nz) for the strictly limited season of The Witches which commences on September 1 and concludes on September 23.

Comments:
Family discount price available. You will need at least - one adult and one child, in your group to get the discount price.