Full casting has been announced for the first ever stage adaptation of Grandpa’s Great Escape, the exhilarating number one best-selling children’s book by David Walliams which will tour the UK this Christmas. Tickets are on sale now.

Joining Nigel Planer who takes up the role of Grandpa in this Christmas spectacular is: John Marquez (Doc Martin) as Dad/Barry, Niky Wardley (The Catherine Tate Show) as Patricia and Tom Cawte (London Fields) as Grandson Jack. Siobhan Redmond (Taggart) will take on the roles of Miss Dandy/Reverend Fine, alongside Jasmyn Banks (Eastenders) as Shelley, Devarnie Lothian as Dazza and Alice Haig (Beautality) as Miss Verity. Richard James (Space Precinct) will take to the stage as Nurse Rose, Paul Putner (Little Britain) joins as Nurse Blossom, with Kammy Darweish (Ackley Bridge) as Raj and Dermot Canavan (Doctors) as Frank.

Completing the cast are Will Carey, Jason Denton, Stuart Hickey, Jake Samuels, Robert Saunders, Michelle Bishop, Hanna Brackstone-Brown, Lucyelle Cliffe, Rosie Ede and Jenefer Trapp.

Grandpa’s Great Escape Live follows the acclaimed television film which aired on BBC One in December 2018, and will be directed by double Olivier Award winner and Tony® Award nominee Sean Foley (The Catherine Tate Show Live & The Painkiller). Grandpa’s Great Escape is the eighth book by Walliams and was published in September 2015 by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

David Walliams said: “Grandpa's Great Escape Live is an incredible new development for the book. We’re not just turning it into a live show, but into a spectacular live arena show for all the family this Christmas.  Being in arenas means we can have a life-size Spitfire, a tank, the London landscape and a dramatic escape from the Imperial War Museum. It's great because we can really go to town with all of those elements and this story demands that scale. I'm delighted to be involved with this arena tour of Grandpa's Great Escape Live, working with fantastic people like the director Sean Foley and Kevin Cecil, who’s written the script. I couldn't be more excited about it!”

The wonderous stage design for Grandpa’s Great Escape Live will see arenas around the UK transformed into London and its landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and the River Thames, from thousands of feet in the sky, as Grandpa’s life size Spitfire soars through the air. The set has been created by entertainment architects Stufish Productions (Beyonce & Jay Z, Madonna, The Rolling Stones). The script adaptation of the book has been written by Kevin Cecil (Little Britain & Gangsta Granny television film).

Grandpa’s Great Escape, which has been translated into 39 languages received a wealth of glowing reviews with the Evening Standard declaring Walliams as “the new Roald Dahl”, while The Times describe the story as “a beguilingly funny, original and thought-provoking tale… hilarious”. 

Many years ago, Grandpa was a World War II flying ace. But when he is sent to old folk’s home Twilight Towers – run by sinister Matron Swine – it’s up to Grandpa and his grandson, Jack, to plot a daring escape. Little do they know the wicked matron is on to them.

A breakdown of the ticket prices can be found below:

£52.58 (£45 ticket plus £7.58 venue fees) 
£41.33 (£35 ticket plus £6.33 venue fees)
£30.08 (£25 ticket plus £5.08 venue fees)

Children under 24 months sitting on an adults knee are free and do not require a ticket on this show - everyone attending the show must pay the above prices to watch the show.

This is an adaptation of David Walliams book and he will not be appearing in person at this event.

The show runs at approximately 75 minutes without interval.

Please be aware that floor seats are flat on the floor - they are not raised & they are not considered suitable for children as they will be seated directly behind customers sat at the same level and if this will be an issue we suggest purchasing tickets in the tiered blocks - if you require further guidance please speak to our operators here at the venue on 0114 256 56 56.

You can view the venues general security procedures here. If there are any specific instructions you need to be aware of for this event then this information will be posted on this page along with the show timings the week of the show.

Please click here for further seating plan advice & info.