Photos: Our Teacher’s A Troll in rehearsals ahead of run at Lesnes Abbey Ruins

Here’s a first look at Our Teacher’s A Troll in rehearsals ahead of its run at the Lesnes Abbey Ruins this month.

The piece by Matilda the Musical writer Dennis Kelly will transform the stunning ruins of Lesnes Abbey in London into an open-air theatre this summer.

Those on the cast are Lilly Driscoll (In Her Strength Jekyll & Hyde), Louis Gaudencio (Fiver, Call the Midwife), Andy Watkins (Kinky Boots, Brexit the Musical) and Joanne Ferguson (The Play That Goes Wrong, Emmerdale).

Directed by Artistic Director of Ruined Theatre and renowned West End actress Nancy Sullivan, the creative team features movement by Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, puppet design by Maia Kirkman-Richards and set design by Alice McNicholas.

Two terrible twins, Sean and Holly, with a talent for turmoil rule their school with terror and tyranny. That is, until the arrival of a new headteacher with scaly skin, gnarly fangs and a spiky tail… Can the twins save the school from the child-eating troll? Can naughtiness prevail?

Ruined Theatre will tell this hilarious family production with unmissable puppetry and transform the ruins of the 12th Century abbey, one of London’s truly hidden treasures, into a Covid-safe, open air theatre.

Nancy Sullivan, Artistic Director of Ruined Theatre said: “I live in Abbey Wood and Thamesmead which has no access to the arts and this summer we are bringing high quality, professional theatre to the doorsteps of this community.

“The Ruined Theatre has been born out of an awareness that theatre is not accessible to everyone. Our motivation is to engage a new audience at the grassroots level through outreach work and mentorship. We want to change the faces we see behind the scenes and on stage in the years to come and help people feel like theatre is an option for them.”

Our Teacher’s a Troll plays 12 – 22 August 2021 at Lesnes Abbey Ruins, Abbey Road, Belvedere DA17 5DH with tickets online here.

The Ruined Theatre Company will be making discounted prices available to local residents and school pupils in Greenwich and Bexley Boroughs while free tickets will be available to families in financial hardship in the area through a partnership with the Peabody Housing Association.