Inès Mazdon Delas leads a company of four in Toto, the world premiere musical made from Ximo Abadia's picture book about a donkey with ambitions in space, which opens at Polka Theatre in Wimbledon on 10 October.
Inès Mazdon Delas, whose credits include The Paddington Bear Experience, takes the title role in Toto. Around the donkey are Mya Fox-Scott as Luna Lopez, Ricardo Castro as Mucho Dinero and Alice Keedwell as Fernanda. The show, co-produced by Polka Theatre and Topper and Fred, runs in the venue's Y C Chan Theatre from Saturday 10 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, with its press performance at 2pm on Saturday 17 October.
The rest of the company arrive with a mix of family and main-stage work behind them. Fox-Scott's credits include The Forgiveness of a Monster at Sherman Theatre and Mama Goose at Theatre Royal Stratford East. Castro's include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre and Othello for the RSC, while Keedwell's list takes in Bear Snores On and The Tempest at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, the second of them also seen at the Unicorn Theatre.
Abadia's story follows a young donkey who has no intention of spending life hauling boxes for someone else. Toto's real plan is to become an astronaut, and that means leaving for the big city - where the obstacles turn out to be bigger than expected. Polka is pitching the production at children aged 3-8.
Harry Blake has adapted the book and written the music and lyrics, and Jennifer Tang, whose credits include Fire Fire at the Arcola Theatre and Cymbeline at Shakespeare's Globe, directs. Charlotte Henery designs the set and costumes, with sound by Dan Balfour, lighting by Benny Goodman and choreography by Jennifer Fletcher.
Helen Matravers, Polka's Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive, said: "It's not every performer or designer that can make you truly believe you're in a wondrous world of a donkey with astronautical aspirations, but through such emotive and joyful song and dance, this team are going to wow all our audiences."
Heather Ruck and Kimberley Thomas of Topper and Fred said: "Harry's music and adaptation of Ximo's beautiful book are an absolute joy, and we have been joined by the most wonderful team of artists to bring it to life! We can't wait to share it with Polka audiences."
Two visiting shows fill the 90-seat Adventure Theatre over October half term. From 23-25 October, Branar brings You'll See, its take on James Joyce's Ulysses for 8 to 12-year-olds, told through live performance, detailed paper design and an original score and supported by Culture Ireland. It is followed from Wednesday 28 October - Sunday 1 November by At Sea, a Life and Limb Puppets and Alphabetti Theatre show for ages 6-12 in which puppets, projection and new music chart a sailor's triumph.
Tickets for all three productions are on sale now from Polka Theatre, including by phone on 020 8543 4888. The Wimbledon venue has already set out its Christmas plans, with a beatboxing Peter Pan and Little Bulb's Antarctica to follow.
