'The Jungle Book' at London's National Theatre Casts Mowgli

Mar 16, 2026 3:00am PT ‘The Jungle Book’ at London’s National Theatre Casts Olivier Winner Hiran Abeysekera as Mowgli (EXCLUSIVE) By Naman Ramachandran Plus Icon Naman Ramachandran Latest Korea Box Office: ‘The King’s Warden’ Surpasses 13 Million Admissions in Sixth Week 6 hours ago China Box Office: ‘Pegasus 3’ Stays Ahead as ‘GOAT’ Debuts 7 hours ago Hwang Dong-hyuk on Burying ‘Squid Game’ for a Decade, Korea’s Global Rise and What He Owes Hong Kong Cinema at Asian Film Awards Masterclass 7 hours ago See All The Jungle Book Illustration by Chervelle Fryer. Art direction and design by National Theatre Graphic Design Studio/Chris Burgess Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera will play Mowgli in a new stage adaptation of “The Jungle Book” at London’s National Theatre, with “The Father and the Assassin” playwright Anupama Chandrasekhar penning the script and Indhu Rubasingham directing. Abeysekera, who won the best actor Olivier in 2022 for “Life of Pi,” heads an ensemble that includes Sarah Amankwah, Darcy Braimoh, Sebastian Charles, Laura Cubitt, Fred Davis, Ayesha Dharker, Romina Hytten, Tony Jayawardena, Avye Leventis, Kel Matsena and Sifiso Mazibuko. Further casting is to be announced. Related Stories 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' Sets Peacock Streaming Release Date Here's How to Watch Peacock Online for Free The production features puppetry by Lume’s Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, some of which was showcased at a high profile National Theatre and High Commission of India event last week attended by several of “The Jungle Book” cast, including Abeysekera and Dharker, Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Popular on Variety Chandrasekhar’s adaptation relocates the Kipling classic to the mangroves of the Sundarbans region of India, where Mowgli navigates danger and questions of identity in a teeming jungle world of wolves, birds and tigers. “It’s wonderful to be reuniting with Anupama for her new play as she reframes Kipling’s beloved tale,” said National Theatre director and co-chief executive Rubasingham. “Setting it in the mangroves of the Sundarbans region of India gifts us such a rich environment to turn the Olivier theatre into a real theatrical event with extraordinary puppetry and performances at its heart.” The creative team includes set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, composer Fernando Velázquez, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, sound designer Benjamin Grant, casting directors Bryony Jarvis-Taylor CDG and Martin Poile CDG, associate director John Young, associate puppetry director Scarlet Wilderink and associate set designer Ruth Hall. Caldwell also serves as movement director. Chandrasekhar is participating in a studio program supported by the Chanel Culture Fund, which backs international artist residencies at the National Theatre Studio. The production itself is supported by Bagri Foundation. “The Jungle Book” will run on the National Theatre’s Olivier stage from Nov. 13, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2027. Jump to Comments How Ashley Padilla’s ‘Mom Confession’ Sketch Turned Her Into ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ Standout Emmy Contender JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...