Complete cast set for 'The Jungle Book' at the National Theatre

Anupama Chandrasekhar’s play adapts Rudyard Kipling's beloved story about a child raised among wild animals.

Summary

• Complete casting has been set for the National Theatre's The Jungle Book
• Performances run from 13 November to 6 February at the National's Olivier Theatre
• Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera stars as Mowgli
• The family-friendly story follows a child raised by wild animals as he comes of age, fights danger, and finds his place in the world

Complete casting as been set for Anupama Chandrasekhar’s new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre. Performances run from 13 November to 6 February 2027 on the Olivier stage.

Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) stars as Mowgli alongside Parkey Abeyratne as Raksha Head, Azan Ahmed and Sebastian Charles rotating the roles of Baloo and Baloo Head, Sarah Amankwah and Laura Cubbit rotating the roles of Bagheera and Bagheera Hind, Kazeem Tosin Amore as Shere Khan Head, Antony Antunes as an onstage swing, Ankur Bahl as Kaa and Bijoy, Eryck Brahmania as Devan Head, Darcy Braimoh as Shere Khan Hind, Lucca Chadwick-Patel as A and Chottu, Fred Davis and Ali Goldsmith rotating the roles of Moti Head and Wild Pig, Ayesha Dharker as Raksha and Messua, Valentine Hanson as Mahout, Romina Hytten as an onstage swing and puppetry captain), Sasha Jagsi as Neela, Tony Jayawardena as Moti, Rebecca Killick and Sarah Mardel rotating the roles of Bagheera Heart and Wild Fowl, Avye Leventis as B and Tabaqui, Michael Jean-Marain as an onstage swing, Kel Matsena as Shere Khan, Sifiso Mazibuko as Akela, Jordan Metcalfe as Cat, Shaun Yusuf McKee as Devan, Sharita Oomeer as Stork, Mahesh Parmar as C and Sonu, and Gavin L Vincent as Akela Head.

'The Jungle Book is the first film I have a memory of going to see in the cinema, I remember being petrified when Shere Khan appeared on screen and hiding under the cinema seat," Indhu Rubasingham, the National's artistic director and the director of this production, said in a statement. 'Anupama’s new version for the stage will enchant a new generation, whilst surprising those who feel that they know it well.

'This truly feels like a global endeavour — we’re drawing on the rich storytelling culture inherent in India, a large cast of 30 extraordinary performers, a cinematic orchestral score by one of Spain's leading composers and the best of this country’s puppetry teams bringing these beloved characters to life.’

The creative team also includes set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, puppet designers Lume: Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, movement director Finn Caldwell, composer Fernando Velázquez, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, video designer Ash J Woodward, sound designer Benjamin Grant, dialect coach Shereen Ibrahim, and voice coach Cathleen McCarron.

Set in the mangroves of the Sundarbans, The Jungle Book follows the young Mowgli, a child raised among wild animals, who must protect his family from danger and discover where he truly belongs. Chandrasekhar's adaptation is based on the story by Rudyard Kipling, also known worldwide for the Disney film adaptation.

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Photo credit: Hiran Abeysekera. (Photo by Chris Burgess)