Casting and creative team announced for world premiere stage adaptation of Sir Lenny Henry’s best-selling children’s book

Polka Theatre’s Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive Helen Matravers, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive Lynette Shanbury, and the whole team at the Wimbledon venue are pleased to announce the casting and creative team for the world premiere of Sir Lenny Henry’s Macmillan’s best-selling book The Boy With Wings.

The Polka Theatre co-production with Birmingham Rep, is adapted by writer Arvind Ethan David and directed by Daniel Bailey, winner of Best Director at The Stage Debut Awards 2024.

The production is recommended for children aged 7 – 12 years and runs in Polka’s Main Theatre from Saturday 21 June – Saturday 16 August – with a national press performance on Saturday 28 June at 2.30pm – before transferring to Birmingham Rep from Thursday 21 – Saturday 30 August.

Wings? Check.
A super-cool, super-secret past? Check.
An impossible mission to save the entire galaxy. Check.

When Tunde sprouts wings and learns that his father is a ferocious alien warrior, he’s all that stands between the galaxy and total destruction – suddenly homework and school aren’t all he has to contend with. Luckily, his rag-tag group of pals have got his back, and with his new powers, Tunde is ready to fly in the face of danger – this is his destiny. No pressure then. . .

The cast of The Boy With Wings includes Adiel Boboye (‘Their Name Is Joy’, Theatre Peckham) as ‘Tunde’, Millie Elkins-Green (‘The Light Princess’, LAStheatre) as ‘Kylie’, Jessica Murrain (‘Wonder Boy’, UK tour) as ‘Juba’, alongside Stephan Boyce (‘Richard II’, Bridge Theatre) as ‘Aaven’, with further casting to be announced soon.

The Boy With Wings is brought to the stage with set and costume design by Laura McEwen (‘Oh No, George’, UK tour), composer and sound design by Khalil Madovi (‘Animal Farm’, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Leeds Playhouse, Nottingham Playhouse), lighting and video design by Gillian Tan (‘Mind Mangler’, Apollo Theatre, New York, Virgin Cruises, UK Tour), with movement direction from Gabrielle Nimo (‘Sleepova’, Bush Theatre).

Sir Lenny Henry said, “Just two months to go until my children’s book The Boy With Wings will be transported LIVE on stage!  First at Polka Theatre in Wimbledon and then at the Birmingham Rep. It’s so important for children to experience live theatre, and this is going to be totally cool – a really fun show for the whole family to enjoy. There’s nothing quite like the magic of seeing a story come to life on stage – it sparks imagination, inspires creativity, and creates unforgettable memories. Perfect for those who know the book to see the characters brought to life, but also an exciting, out-of-this-world adventure for anyone coming to the story fresh. Come and watch Tunde and his friends in this epic live experience!”

Polka’s Artistic Director Helen Matravers said, “It is an honour to premiere Sir Lenny Henry’s first children’s book at Polka. Not only is it a wonderful action-adventure story perfect for a summer outing, but there are brand new songs throughout, with some twists and spins just for theatre audiences. It is essential that theatre inspires every child in the audience and shows them that it is relevant and open to them to engage with, particularly for this age group, and front and centre in this production is the character of Tunde who is discovering and celebrating his individuality – something important to Lenny with writing the book, and Polka with staging it. We’re working with the most amazing creative team to bring the book to life, all of whom have unreservedly recognised the importance of developing exceptional quality theatre for young audiences. Polka has a long history of creating magical, memorable moments for children, and we are so delighted that Birmingham Rep is on this journey with us so that the story and the inspiration can be shared with families far and wide!”

Artistic Director, Joe Murphy and Deputy Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep, Madeleine Kludje added, “We are absolutely thrilled to bring another stage adaptation from Sir Lenny Henry to our stage. ‘Rudy’s Rare Records’ truly inspired our audiences back in 2014, so to bring The Boy With Wings to life on stage is an honour. The Boy With Wings is a celebration of courage, identity, and imagination – exactly the kind of story that inspires our younger audiences (and their families alike). It’s a joy and a privilege to bring the adaptation of such an out-of-this-world book to the Midlands, and we can’t wait to share this uplifting journey with audiences of all ages.”

The Boy With Wings
Saturday 21 June – Saturday 16 August
Relaxed, BSL Interpreted, Audio Described and Captioned performances available.
Tickets from £10*
Book now