“More Circus Than Play”: Fergus Rattigan on Barnum, Tom Thumb, and Bringing Spectacle to Cardiff

When Barnum arrives at the Wales Millennium Centre next week, audiences will step into a world where musical theatre, circus artistry, and actor‑musicianship collide. The Watermill Theatre’s acclaimed production reimagines the life and legend of P.T. Barnum with a cast who sing, act, play instruments, and perform circus skills live on stage. Among them is Fergus Rattigan, who takes on the role of General Tom Thumb — a performer whose real history is far richer and more complex than the sideshow image often attached to him.

Speaking from Portsmouth ahead of the Cardiff run, Rattigan talked about the demands of the production, the humanity behind Tom Thumb, and why this Barnum is unlike anything audiences might expect.

Read the Conversation Highlights below or Listen to the Full Interview at the Bottom of this Page.

🎤 Q&A with Fergus Rattigan

You hadn’t seen Barnum before joining the show — or even The Greatest Showman. Did that help?

“I’ve never seen Barnum before and shockingly I haven’t seen The Greatest Showman. Nearly better not to — it means you don’t compare them or get tied up thinking one is the other.”

For those who only know Barnum through pop culture, what can audiences expect from this production?

“Barnum covers the bulk of his career — from small sideshows to acquiring Jenny Lind and Tom Thumb, to the issues in his marriage, to creating the modern circus with Bailey. In our show it’s largely from his point of view.

Everyone on stage plays instruments, and we have six circus performers doing fire‑breathing, acrobatics, tightwire, trapeze — everything while the story’s being told.”

You play General Tom Thumb, a figure often caught between showmanship and exploitation. How did you find the humanity in him?

“I’m a bit of a history buff, so I researched the hell out of Charles Stratton. His journey is very comparable to many dwarf performers’ lives — that question of where the line is between being a successful performer and being seen only as someone small.

People came to see ‘the world’s smallest man’, but they stayed because he was a phenomenal performer. He sang, danced, did improv, comedy, sketches, plays. He became more successful than Barnum.”

Were there aspects of his story you felt responsible for reframing for a modern audience?

“There’s a key moment where Barnum puts the deal to him — slightly arm‑twisting, as he was notorious for — but ultimately leaves it up to him. I try to play the naivety of that, but also the joy.

When you’re small, people are looking at you no matter what. So you turn that into: I’m going to make them look at me for the right reasons.”

This production is packed with circus vocabulary. What new skills did you have to learn?

“I’m not naturally a singer or dancer — I trained in Shakespeare and stage combat — so I had to learn how to sing. I took a lot of lessons.

I also had to learn a ton of instruments. I’d say about 15 in this show. Most are percussion, but learning rhythm and fitting in with amazing musicians was daunting.

We also had circus school at the start — juggling, spinning plates… lots of skills I hope to keep.”

How does performing in a circus environment change your relationship with the audience?

“For me, not dramatically — I do a lot of panto and Shakespeare in the park, so I’m used to seeing the audience and playing with them. That’s very much the circus mentality.

Circus and panto break the fourth wall more. I like that blurry line.”

Does switching between acting, singing, and playing instruments create a different ensemble energy?

“Very definitely. On some fronts it feels nearly like a sports team — everyone has to row together. If someone’s instrument goes or there’s an issue with a prop, everyone helps out.

The songs do a lot of the storytelling, and the ensemble is almost always on the same journey together.”

What moments still give you a thrill every night?

“The tightrope walk at the end of Act One. It doesn’t happen every night depending on the health of the actors, but when it does and they nail it — the audience is on fire and the cast is ready to explode.

And my solo. I’m a non‑natural singer, so conquering that and hearing the audience laugh their heads off is a big personal victory.”

You’ve never been to Wales before. What are you looking forward to in Cardiff?

“I love Welsh folklore — Arthurian stuff — and I do love a good castle. I’m very much looking forward to exploring.

And I’ve heard great things about the Wales Millennium Centre. It’s a fair old size!”

What do you think will surprise Cardiff audiences most?

“That it’s not The Greatest Showman. It’s a different show — more historically grounded.

The amount of actual circus in it will surprise people. You’re much more in a circus than in a play.

And despite all the spectacle, there are beautifully deep and caring moments that catch people off guard.”

🎪 A Show That Promises Spectacle — and Heart

With its fusion of live music, circus artistry, and a cast working as a single, finely tuned organism, Barnum promises a theatrical experience that feels both nostalgic and newly alive. Rattigan’s thoughtful, researched portrayal of Tom Thumb adds emotional weight to the spectacle, grounding the show’s larger‑than‑life energy in something deeply human.

As the company prepares to open in Cardiff, Rattigan is confident audiences will be swept up in the magic.

“I think audiences of all ages are going to love it and go nuts for this.”