THE new stage play version of Helen Forrester’s Twopence to Cross the Mersey arrives in St Helens later this month after earning rave reviews and standing ovations for performances at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre.
Producers have deemed the new format an instant success and reviews have reached as far and wide as Canada and to Helen Forrester’s son, Robert Bhatia.
Robert sent all the cast a personal message and made plans to make a special visit to Liverpool with his family to see his mother’s story retold on stage in the production.
The show has an eight-strong ensemble cast of Emma Dears (Judy & Liza, Les Miserables) as Mother, Christopher Jordan (Moving On, Coronation Street) as Father, Maria Lovelady as Helen and Daniel Stephen Davies as Alan, all of which make up the Forrester family.
Eithne Browne (Brookside, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnel), Jake Abraham (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Game of Thrones), Roy Carruthers (Night Collar, Tales from Haunted Liverpool) and Brian Dodd (Tony Teardrop, Treasured) all take on lead roles, as well as supplementary characters throughout.
The new version is being staged by Pulse Records Ltd in collaboration with producer and stage writer Rob Fennah and producer Bill Elms. They are joined by director Bob Eaton. The show will celebrate 21 years on stage, to the day, when they are at Southport Theatre on Thursday, April 9.
Writer Rob Fennah said “Eithne Browne starred in the very first production of Twopence in 1994 at Liverpool Empire and it is so fitting that she is back starring in the play 21 years later to celebrate with us.
Twopence to Cross the Mersey tells the true story of a young girl and her formerly wealthy family as they are suddenly thrown into poverty during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Leaving behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England, they uproot their shattered lives and choose Liverpool as the place to start again to rebuild their dreams and fortune.
Unbeknown to them however, a terrible shock awaits them.
The three-night show will start at 7.30pm and there will be a matinee at 2.30pm on Thursday, April 16.
Tickets, costing £18, can be booked in person at the box office in Corporation Street, call 01744 756 000 or visit sthelenstheatreroyal.com.
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Book in person at the Theatre Royal Box Office (Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm). Alternatively, call 01744 756 000 or visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com or via TicketQuarter on 0844 8000 410 |www.ticketquarter.co.uk or in person in Queen Square, Liverpool City Centre
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