COSTUMES, set and puppetry for the brand new stage adaptation of the best-selling smash-hit children’s book, The Creakers, has been created in Devon and Cornwall ahead of its world premiere at Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) this October half term.

Conceived by international singer-songwriter and best-selling author, Tom Fletcher of McFly, and directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves, The Creakers, A Magical Musical Adventure will debut at TRP from October 25 to November 2.

In keeping with the show’s key sustainability theme, much of the set and costumes use reclaimed materials and have been created locally, crafted at TRP’s flagship Production and Learning Centre, TR2 with ten specialist costume makers working for four weeks to create 50 costumes for the show.

TRP’s extensive wardrobe department, based at TR2, houses a vast collection of thousands of costumes from all different genres and time periods with garments rescued from previous shows, donated by the public or bought second hand.

ForThe Creakers specifically, a lot more thought and effort has gone into ensuring that where possible the fabric and materials are locally sourced or come from preloved items, cut and repurposed into a costume.

Delia Lancaster, head of wardrobe at TRP, said: ‘We try to be as eco-friendly as we can, but with The Creakers, we’ve gone the extra mile. scouring local suppliers for certain fabrics or buying second-hand clothing to repurpose.

‘We are still learning as we go, and with each show we do going forward, we will become smarter, quicker and, ultimately, greener.’

For the set, a central revolving piece of scenery will rotate to represent both the Woleb and Whiffington.

Ten people are currently working on set in workshop and four people in the drawing room. The added emphasis on being green, has seen the workshop team visiting local scrapstores to salvage materials rather than buy new.

‘The prominence on sustainability has impacted how we approach the materials for The Creakers and has made it more challenging, said Sebastian Soper head of project development at TRP.

‘We were lucky that we found a floor we could reuse which is currently being painted and adjusted and the framework is now coming together.’

The Creaker puppets too began life locally, originally developed at The Barns Lamledra near St Austell, which was the creative base of renowned theatre company Kneehigh.

Throughout the summer, six puppet makers led by puppetry director Sarah Wright and puppet designer Lyndie Wright – both from Curious School of Puppetry - were busy researching and developing the Woleb-based residents and conceptualising ways to bring them to life. These designs have led to the creation of eight puppet characters, including costume-puppets and table-top puppets.

Tickets for this magical musical adventure, with an unforgettable soundtrack, are available from https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/creakers/