Best-selling story bound for the Garrick
The full cast for the first major UK national tour of Helen Forrester 's Twopence To Cross The Mersey has been announced.
Twopence To Cross The Mersey UK Premiere Tour 2022 opens this September in Wirral, a place which features heavily in Helen 's million-selling books.
The show will perform ay the Lichfield Garrick on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October 2022.
The hit stage drama has been revamped and updated as it gears up to visit 15 venues nationwide during Autumn 2022. The 9-strong cast, playing over 40 characters, has now been announced and includes five cast members who have appeared in its sister show By The Waters Of Liverpool.
The new touring production of Twopence To Cross The Mersey is produced by Rob Fennah and Lynn McDermott for Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms and Directed by Gareth Tudor Price.
The creative team have revealed the cast as Mark Moraghan, Daniel Taylor, Parry Glasspool, Jenny Murphy, Lynn Francis, Lynne Fitzgerald, Robert Hudson, Roy Carruthers, and Chloe McDonald.
They will be cast as follows:
- Mark Moraghan - Helen's Father John Forrester
- Daniel Taylor - Mr Ferris and Ensemble
- Parry Glasspool - Helen 's brother Alan,
- Jenny Murphy - Helen
- Lynn Francis - Helen 's mother Celia Forrester
- Roy Carruthers - Ensemble
- Chloe McDonald - Ensemble
- Lynne Fitzgerald - Mrs Foster and (Ensemble)
- Robert Hudson (Ensemble)
Millions of people around the world know Helen Forrester 's life story told through her best-selling volumes of autobiography, Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Liverpool Miss, By The Waters Of Liverpool, and Lime Street At Two.
Helen 's literary achievements were celebrated in 2020 when an iconic Blue Plaque was unveiled at the late author 's family home in Hoylake, a place which featured heavily in her work.
Playwright and producer Rob Fennah explained: “Twopence To Cross The Mersey is such a poignant true story and, although based in the 1930s, it tackles many scenarios people can still relate to today. It 's the main reason why it has remained so popular across the UK and around the world. Now we have our cast in place we can actually start believing we are taking the production on its first major tour after such a challenging few years for live theatre and entertainment.
“Helen Forrester was an incredible woman, and we are proud to continue to be custodians of her fascinating stories. Some years ago Helen and I grew to be good friends, and we shared many letters and lengthy telephone conversations about her life story. There were some real gems in amongst those conversations which I have now written into this new adaptation - fascinating memories of the late author that didn 't find their way into her books. ”
Director Gareth Tudor Price added: “We 'd not long opened By The Waters Of Liverpool - sister show to Twopence - when the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. But I now have the privilege to direct the first instalment which sets the scene for Helen 's life. The cast is strong, and a few already have special links with Helen 's work, so anticipation is high. We 're now counting down the months until we all gather in the rehearsal room and once again bring Helen 's work to life on stage. ”