Disney’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE IMMERSIVE ADVENTURE announces initial casting
Photo credit: Dan Kennedy Photo
Secret Cinema and TodayTix have announced initial casting for their highly anticipated world premiere production Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure, alongside a further six-week extension due to popular demand.
Olivier award winner George Maguire (Sunny Afternoon, West End) will take on the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, and is joined by Phil Daniels (Quadrophenia) as Captain Barbossa, Lily Blunsom (Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall) as Elizabeth Swann, Harrison Wilde (Fame, Theatre Royal Plymouth) as Will Turner, and Gleanne Purcell-Brown (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, West End) as Anamaria.
Directed by Olivier award winner Matt Costain, the production begins previews on 16 February, with its official opening on 10 March, at Secret Cinema’s purpose-built flagship venue at Greenwich Peninsula. Following strong demand the production has been extended for a further six weeks.
Joining Costain on the creative team are two-time Emmy award winning production designer Jason Sherwood, theatrical adaptor Kait Kerrigan, Olivier award winning musical supervisor, arranger and orchestrator Alan Williams, casting director Stuart Burt CDG, costume designer Susan Kulkarni, wigs, hair and make-up designer Helen Keane for Campbell Young Associates, and fight director Alex Payne.
Breaking new ground for Secret Cinema, the production places live theatrical storytelling at its heart, with spectacular set pieces and specially curated clips from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl woven into the experience rather than a full film screening. Bringing together an extraordinary company of performers and an internationally acclaimed creative team, this ambitious new production promises all the adventure, mischief, humour and larger-than-life spectacle that audiences love about Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Over two swashbuckling hours, audiences will be swept up into a world of pirates, rogues and unlikely heroes, with Captain Jack Sparrow at the centre of the mayhem - and one thrilling difference; you’re not just watching the adventure unfold, you’re part of it.
Full casting will be announced shortly.
Artistic Director and Producer of Secret Cinema, Merritt Baer, said: “Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean is everything we love about immersive entertainment. It’s bold, mischievous, wildly entertaining and filled with characters and a world you can’t help but want to explore. And with this production, we’re inviting audiences to do exactly that.
“We’ve assembled an extraordinary cast and some of the most accomplished creative talent working in theatre today because bringing a world this beloved to life demands real ambition and artistry. But for all of the incredible craft behind it, the experience itself is about one thing: having an absolutely fantastic time.
“Expect adventure, surprises, spectacular performances, a little chaos and plenty of opportunities to get swept up in the fun. We’ve taken everything Secret Cinema does best and pushed it further than ever before, creating a new kind of theatrical experience where the story doesn’t just happen in front of you - it happens all around you. This is exactly the kind of show we’ve been building towards and opening it in our new home at Greenwich Peninsula makes it even more exciting.
“And honestly, who hasn’t dreamed of stepping into the world of Captain Jack Sparrow? We can’t wait to welcome audiences aboard”.
Secret Cinema’s new purpose-built venue at Greenwich Peninsula will become a long-term home for the production company, with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure as its inaugural production.
Located along the riverfront, a short walk from North Greenwich tube station and The O2, the venue has been designed to accommodate ambitious, large-scale immersive productions, creating a new destination for audiences seeking entertainment that goes well beyond the traditional theatre experience.