AS part of a major national tour following a sell-out West End season at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, the Olivier Award nominated production of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather will be heading for Malvern’s Festival Theatre next week.

Sally Cookson directs a cast including Phoebe Thomas, who reprises her role as Hetty Feather, when the show opens on Wednesday, November 18 for a five day run through to Sunday, November 22.

Joining Thomas on stage will be Matt Costain (Jem/Matron Bottomly), Sarah Goddard (Peg/Ida), Nik Howden (Saul), Mark Kane (Gideon) and Nikki Warwick (Madame Adeline). Musicians Seamas H. Carey and Luke Potter complete the company.

Hetty Feather is thrillingly brought to life on stage with circus skills and aerial artistry, original songs and live music by Benji Bower when the audience can - ROLL UP and join Hetty on her escape from the Foundling Hospital, TREMBLE as she faces Matron Stinking Bottomly, THRILL as she discovers the squirrel house and Tanglefields Travelling Circus, GASP as she endures a night locked in the attic, QUAKE as she braves the scary streets of Victorian London and CHEER as she overcomes all in the search to find her real mother and a true family of her own.

Hetty Feather is published by Random House, and was the first in a series of books which includes Sapphire Battersea, Emerald Star and Diamond. The series has been hugely successful not just in the UK, but also internationally. It has been adapted as a new 10 part television series currently airing on CBBC. Wilson’s new Hetty Feather novel Little Stars was launched last month.

Phoebe Thomas plays Hetty Feather, reprising her role from the UK tour and run at the Vaudeville Theatre. Thomas began performing as a child and was nominated for a BAFTA at the age of 8 years old for her first ever screen performance.

Her theatre credits include The Life and Times of Fanny Hill (Bristol Old Vic), Little Women (Duchess Theatre), Playing Fields (Soho Theatre), Annie Get your Gun (Prince of Wales Theatre), The White Album (Nottingham Playhouse), and Final Judgement (Theatre Royal Windsor). For television her credits include The Armada, Holby City (as series regular Maria Kendall), Death in Paradise, Vera, Outnumbered, Teachers, Night and Day, As If, 33 Carnage Crescent, Booze Cruise, Little Devil, Sea of Souls, Inspector Lynley; and for film, Lady Godiva, Permanent Vacation, Millions, Tube Tales ‘Circle Line’.

Matt Costain reprises the role of Jem/Matron Bottomly. His theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre, Kingston) Warhorse, The Birds (National Theatre), Wendy and Peter Pan, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, Henry V, Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3, Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company), and many more.