A bestselling children’s book written by Dermot O’Leary is set to receive a theatrical production.
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape will be staged at the Pavilion Theatre in Worthing between October 9 and 11.
Tickets can be purchased through the venue’s official website.
The stage version follows a successful previous run at the Little Angel Theatre.
It marks a puppetry interpretation of the initial instalment in O’Leary’s popular children’s franchise, which features illustrations by Nick East.
The book series draws inspiration from O’Leary’s own household pets.
Speaking about the collaboration, East expressed his enjoyment working alongside O’Leary on the series.
He noted his excitement that the Little Angel creative team was bringing their adventurous feline character to audiences through puppetry.
Over 500,000 copies of the Toto the Ninja Cat books have been sold internationally, translated into 17 different languages.
The narrative centres on Toto, a feline with significantly impaired vision who possesses hidden ninja abilities and embarks on thrilling escapades.
When a lethal King Cobra escapes onto London’s streets, Toto must gather all her bravery to resolve the crisis.
The production incorporates original compositions, puppetry sequences and entertainment suitable for families.
Lane and Jungr, who served as co-adaptors, discussed their enthusiasm for bringing the work to the stage.
They described the story as uplifting, humorous and heartwarming.
According to them, the production features an accomplished creative team and promises engaging songs, inventive puppetry and unexpected moments for spectators across all age groups.
The performers feature Charlotte Bloomsbury, Richard Lounds and Vinnie Monachello.
The production’s design team includes puppetry designer Oliver Hyman and lighting designer Sherry Coenen.
O’Leary shared his reaction to seeing his book transformed into a theatrical production.
He mentioned that Toto was currently resting and unaware of the upcoming events, but expressed confidence that the character would be delighted to have her exploits presented to theatre audiences nationwide.