ZOG and The Flying Doctors

Zog and the Flying Doctors, based on the bestselling sequel by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, will fly into Hereford this spring, playing at The Courtyard from 16 – 18 April 2024.

Zog, super keen student turned air-ambulance, still lands with a bang-crash-thump. Together with his Flying Doctor crew, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout, they tend to a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with one too many horns and a lion with the flu. However, Pearl’s uncle, the King, has other ideas about whether princesses should be doctors, and she’s soon locked up in the castle back in a crown and a silly frilly dress!

With a bit of help from some friends and half a pound of cheese, can Pearl make her uncle better and prove princesses can be doctors too?

Full casting has also been confirmed: Ethan Jay Scott (Frankie’s Guys, UK Tour) as titular character ’Zog’, with Emily Attridge-Cox (Camelot: In Concert, The London Palladium) as ‘Pearl’ and Edward Conroy (Dick Whittington, The Attic Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon) as ‘Gadabout’ & ‘Doctor’. James Stirling (Alice In Wonderland, UK Tour) will play ‘King’ and ‘Unicorn’ with Darcy Manning (The Wizard Of Oz, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds) playing ‘Mermaid’ and ‘Lion’. The cast is completed by Swing and Resident Director Mikey Wooster (The Wind In The Willows, UK Tour and Cinderella, The Courtyard Hereford), and Swing and Dance Captain Samantha Richards (Footloose, UK & International Tour).

Zog and the Flying Doctors is one of the best-loved creations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the UK’s number one picture book pair behind many modern classics including The Gruffalo which has been published in 75 languages. Together their books have sold over 75 million copies.

First published in 2016, Zog and the Flying Doctors is the smash-hit sequel to Zog, which has sold over 1.5 million copies. On Christmas Day 2020, Magic Light Pictures premiered an animated film of Zog and the Flying Doctors on BBC One featuring an all-star cast including Sir Lenny Henry and Rob Brydon.

Zog and the Flying Doctors is brought to the stage by Freckle Productions in association with Rose Theatre Kingston. Freckle Productions are pioneers in imaginative storytelling for children and the team behind smash -hit stage hits including Stick Man and Zog.

Zog and the Flying Doctors is co-directed by Katie Beard and Bobby Delaney, with music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe, choreography by Katie Beard, with Heather Scott-Martin as associate choreographer, set and costume designs by Lucy Bradridge and with new 2024 costumes designed by Deborah Mingham, and Louise Smith as costume supervisor. Lighting design is by Ric Mountjoy. The musical director is Bobby Delaney and the musical supervisor and orchestrator is Paul Herbert. Edie Edmundson is puppetry director.

Zog and The Flying Doctors will be in The Courtyard’s Main House on Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 April.

Tuesday 16 – Thursday 18 April – Tuesday 4.30pm – Wednesday & Thursday 10.30am & 1.30pm

To book tickets, or for more information contact the Box Office on 01432 340555 or visit www.courtyard.org.uk.