The Jungle Book Tickets at the National Theatre
Mowgli grows up in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, raised by wolves, with a tiger hunting him. The Jungle Book is the National Theatre's big family show this winter, a new version of Rudyard Kipling's stories with every animal played by a puppet, at the Olivier from 13 November 2026 to 6 February 2027.
All-in: the price you pick is the price you pay.
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020 7193 9050 · Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 8pm
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What Parents Need to Know
- Age: the National says it suits 7-year-olds and above
- Content: depictions of death and violence
- Running time: the National has not published one yet
- Times: 7pm evenings, 1:30pm matinees, and six evenings that start at 6:30pm
- Late arrivals: may not be let in
- Children 12 and under: must be with an adult (a National Theatre rule for every show)
- Leaving mid-show: staff let you back in if they can, and otherwise you watch on a screen in the foyer until you can go back
- Paying on the day: the National is card only, for drinks and ice creams as well
The age guidance comes from the National itself, and the death and violence note is theirs too. It is The Jungle Book, so there is a tiger who wants Mowgli dead. If your child is younger than seven or frightens easily at films, think carefully before booking.
What Is It?
Rudyard Kipling published The Jungle Book in 1894, and this is a new stage version of his stories, made by the National itself, that goes back to his Mowgli rather than the Disney film's. Anupama Chandrasekhar wrote it, and her last play for the National was The Father and the Assassin. Indhu Rubasingham, who runs the National Theatre, directs.
This version is set in the Sundarbans, the vast mangrove forest on the coast of India and Bangladesh, which is real tiger country. Mowgli has to protect his family, his friends and the only home he has ever known, and to do that he first has to work out who he is and where he belongs.
The Puppets
Every animal is a puppet, operated in full view by the performers. They are made by Lume, the company of Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, who designed the puppets for Life of Pi, including its tiger, Richard Parker. The bigger animals take several performers each, with separate puppeteers working the heads of Bagheera, Baloo, Shere Khan and Akela.
If your family saw Life of Pi in the West End, this is the same puppet team, and its Pi is playing Mowgli. Richard Parker's puppeteers shared an Olivier Award between them, and one of them, Fred Davis, is in this company too.
When It Is On
13 November 2026 to 6 February 2027, at the Olivier Theatre. The first week, 13 to 19 November, is previews.
Evening performances start at 7pm and matinees at 1:30pm. Six evenings start earlier still, at 6:30pm: Tuesday 8 December, Thursday 17 December, Tuesday 5 January, Tuesday 12 January, Thursday 28 January and Tuesday 2 February.
The run covers the whole of the Christmas school holidays.
Cast and Creative Team
Hiran Abeysekera plays Mowgli, Ayesha Dharker his wolf mother and Kel Matsena the tiger, Shere Khan. Who plays every other animal, and the creative team, are on the Cast and Creatives tab.
Book The Jungle Book Tickets
Most seats are around £45 to around £100, and tickets start from around £30. All-in: the price you pick is the price you pay. Fridays, Saturdays and the week between Christmas and New Year cost more than other weekdays.
November, the first week, is close to sold out with us, so for a family booking look at December and January, which cover the whole Christmas school holidays.
Booking for a family? Call 020 7193 9050 and we will find you seats together.
Dates & tickets
FAQs
Ages 7 and above, according to the National. It contains depictions of death and violence.
The National has not published a running time, or said whether there is an interval.
No, it is the National's own. It is a new stage version of Rudyard Kipling's original stories, written for the National by Anupama Chandrasekhar and set in the Sundarbans, with puppet animals and an original score by Fernando Velázquez.
The National calls it a new stage adaptation rather than a musical, with an original score.
Puppets, by the team behind the Life of Pi puppets, with the puppeteers on stage.
Yes, later on. The National plans to stream it free on YouTube for one week in March 2027, as part of its Take Your Seats scheme.
Yes, on Saturday 16 January at 1:30pm. Captioned, signed and audio-described dates are on the Tickets and Best Seats tab.
The centre of the Stalls, or the Circle if your child is comfortable with steep steps. The inner seats of the raised Stalls side blocks sit beside a long drop.
The last performance is on Saturday 6 February 2027.
Where to Sit for The Jungle Book
The Olivier seats around 1,100 across two levels, the Stalls and the Circle, all facing a large open stage.
Two things to know if you are booking for children:
- The raised side blocks of the Stalls have a long drop beside the innermost seats. It is protected by a wall and rail, but a child who is nervous of heights, or who wriggles, is better placed in the centre block.
- The Circle is steep, especially from row D back. There are handrails on the aisles, but hold small hands on the way to your seats.
For The Jungle Book the Olivier is laid out in its usual two levels, so the advice above holds. Call us and we will tell you what is left on your date.
For the full picture, see the Olivier seating plan, and our guides to the Stalls and the Circle. If anyone in your group needs step-free access, the Olivier's access guide explains the lifts.
Accessible Performances
- Captioned: Tuesday 15 December, 7pm, and Wednesday 20 January, 7pm
- BSL interpreted: Saturday 23 January, 1:30pm
- Audio described: Saturday 19 December, 1:30pm; Friday 8 January, 7pm; Saturday 30 January, 1:30pm, each with a Touch Tour beforehand
- Relaxed: Saturday 16 January, 1:30pm
Smart caption glasses are not available for this production. Access bookings are handled by the National Theatre's own access team, not by us.
Seating plan
Dates & tickets
Booking now
Getting to the Olivier Theatre
The Jungle Book plays at the Olivier Theatre, inside the National Theatre on the South Bank, Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX. The nearest station is Waterloo, about 5 to 7 minutes' walk. Buses 139, 176 and SL6 stop at Waterloo Bridge / South Bank, around two minutes from the main entrance.
Arrive 30 minutes before, not later. The National is a big building, the Olivier is up on the second and third levels, and late arrivals may not be admitted to this production. With children, allow time for the toilets.
Stations, buses and parking are all covered in getting to the National Theatre, and the theatre itself is in our Olivier Theatre guide.
Address
National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX
Nearest Tube
Waterloo
The Jungle Book Cast
Hiran Abeysekera plays Mowgli. He won the 2022 Olivier Award for Best Actor as Pi in Life of Pi.
Ayesha Dharker plays Raksha, Mowgli's wolf mother, and Messua, the village woman who takes him in. Kel Matsena is Shere Khan, Tony Jayawardena is Moti and Sifiso Mazibuko is Akela. Bagheera is shared by Sarah Amankwah and Laura Cubitt, Baloo by Azan Ahmed and Sebastian Charles, and Ankur Bahl plays Kaa and Bijoy.
With Valentine Hanson, Sasha Jagsi, Shaun Yusuf McKee, Jordan Metcalfe and Sharita Oomeer, and a company of puppeteers: Parkey Abeyratne, Darcy Braimoh, Lucca Chadwick-Patel, Fred Davis, Ali Goldsmith, Rebecca Killick, Avye Leventis, Sarah Mardel, Mahesh Parmar, Kazeem Tosin Amore and Gavin L Vincent. Onstage swings are Antony Antunes, Michael Jean-Marain and Romina Hytten.
Creative Team
Adapted by Anupama Chandrasekhar from Rudyard Kipling. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham. Set and costumes by Rajha Shakiry. Puppetry by Lume, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, with movement by Finn Caldwell. Music by Fernando Velázquez, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, video by Ash J Woodward and sound by Benjamin Grant. Woodward also designed the video for Paddington The Musical.
The Jungle Book News
Previews begin on Friday 13 November 2026 and the run ends on Saturday 6 February 2027.
The production will also stream free on YouTube for one week in March 2027, through National Theatre at Home's Take Your Seats scheme.
No reviews yet: previews start on 13 November.
The Jungle Book
Olivier Theatre
