CARLETON'S Jack Humphrey is currently appearing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon- Avon in its Christmas production of John Masefield’s The Box of Delights.

It is the fourth production with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford for Jack, who went to Carleton Primary School and Upper Wharfedale School, Threshfield,  before moving on to Giggleswick School's sixth form under a drama scholarship.

Originally produced for Wilton’s Music Hall in 2017, Piers Torday’s reimagining of John Masefield’s much-loved children’s classic tells the story of orphaned schoolboy Kay Harker who finds himself the guardian of a small wooden box with powers beyond his wildest dreams.

Caught up in a battle between two powerful magicians - Cole and Abner - Kay fights to save not just the people he loves, but also the future of Christmas itself.

Jack plays the part of the far from fearless Peter Jones, joining Callum Balmforth as Kay Harker, and Mae Munuo as the fearless Maria Jones, both of who are making their RSC debuts.

Director, Justin Audibert, said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on The Box of Delights again, this time creating a bigger, and even more spectacular production for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.

“It’s a show that features trains, boats, planes, mythical creatures, a good and a very bad magician, and characters that magically turn into tiny versions of themselves, characters that transform into animals that fly through the air and swim in the sea – how exciting is that? We’re telling the story through the imagination of a child, so the staging promises to be a fantastic mix of the inventive and the breath-taking."

He added: “In many ways The Box of Delights was the first fantasy story for children, and with its classic good versus evil narrative, and three young children as the heroes, you can see its influence on books like the Harry Potter series. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

Jack's RSC credits include: Henry VI: Rebellion, Henry VI Wars of the Roses and A Christmas Carol. Other theatre credits include: Animal Farm, Othello, Ordinary Miracle (NYT Rep) and Tom’s Midnight Garden (Theatre By The Lake, Keswick). Television credits include: Then Barbara Met Alan (Dragonfly Film and Television).

The Box of Delights, the RSC's festive family show, has been thrilling audiences since the end of October, and runs until January 7.