REVIEW: Twopence to Cross the Mersey at Royal Court Liverpool

Following the hugely successful 2015 tour, the stage play adapted from Helen Forrester's best-selling autobiography returned to Merseyside on Thursday for Press night at the Royal Court Liverpool. The adaptation is set for a 7 week tour across the North West and this is the biggest tour to date. It will cover North West and North Wales. The play will tour to six further venues in Rhyl, Southport, Warrington, Stockport and St Helens. 

The performance kicked off at 7:30pm with the theatre full to capacity with period music being played in the background as the audience eagerly awaited the appearance of the 8- strong cast. Staged by Pulse records Ltd, written by Rob Fennah, directed by Bob Eaton, produced by Lynn McDermott, Rob Fennah and Bill Elms, the play 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 1930's.  They leave the South West of England and start a new life in Liverpool. What ensues is a devastating departure from the luxurious life they enjoyed in their middle class status to deprivation and poverty.

Each cast member narrated and introduced the next rather cleverly and then the characters proceeded to describe themselves, detailing what they were wearing to characteristics of their personality. I loved how each cast member took on the role of supplementary characters as well as lead ones. It was a testament to their acting ability because you viewed each character individually and there was a clear demarcation between them despite them being played by the same person. There was humour from the outset as well as sadness and a tangible measure of fear and trepidation. The new production features two new actors, Phil Hearne and Tom Cawte.

Maria Lovelady as Helen. Photo Credit - David Munn Photography

Maria Lovelady who plays Helen is magnificent throughout. She captured the vulnerability, strength, grit and humility of the protagonist superbly. You could not help but feel enamoured with her as she shared her plight. It was an exceptional performance and she was perfectly cast for this role. Tom Cawte played Helen's younger brother Alan. He captivated the audience and give a credible performance. His interaction with Maria was brilliant. You really believed their struggle and got a true sense of the sibling relationship.

Christopher Jordan who plays Helen's father also gave a sterling performance and as well as feeling sorry for him for his predicament, you also could not help but want to castigate him for not being dynamic and proactive. You sit back and observe as in the words of Helen "his fall from grace is complete". Emma Dears who plays Helen's mum is fantastic. She conveyed the rigid persona of Helen's mum with ease. Her stiff upper lip, pride and selfishness evoked a reaction in the audience member that made you warm to Helen all the more. Like Helen's father, her parenting skills leave a lot to be desired.

Eithne Brown (Brookside, Brick up the Mersey tunnel) plays a number of characters in the play and is totally mesmerising. She was undoubtedly my favourite cast member. It is a testament to her skill as an actress that she is able to portray the qualities of the different characters so distinctly and effectively. She is funny and she is compassionate. Before she leaves the stage she can often be heard to say "and then she vanished". The memory of her however remains.

Jake Abraham (Lock, stock and two smoking barrels) is incredible. He is such a talented actor and excels in his portrayal of contrasting characters. He imparts wisdom to Helen when he plays the old gentleman in the park. This was an extremely touching scene. He admonishes "It's not what happens to you in life Helen, it's how you deal with it". He was also fabulous throughout in his roles of the man at Lime Street Station, Billy, Frank, Mr Ferris and Joe. His various roles evoke a mix of emotions in the audience and his energy is dynamic.

Roy Carruthers (Night Collar, Tales from haunted Liverpool) had such gravitas and I loved the way that he conveyed extremes in the characters that he played. From the bully O'Farrell to the compassionate Father Armstrong.

In summary, this stage adaptation of Wirral born Helen Forrester's story is an absolute triumph. It is stunning, totally mesmerising and a pleasure to watch. The delivery of each cast member was exceptional. It takes you on an emotional journey and you feel like a fly on the wall. You feel Helen's struggle and you feel frustration towards her parents as well as a sense of helplessness. Before you know it the final scene arrives and the play is over. It is gripping and an engaging piece of theatre. This is a must-see.

Producers Pulse Records Ltd have partnered with The Salvation Army. Audiences can donate to the charity at each performance.

Full tour listing:

Liverpool

Royal Court Theatre

20^th September – 8^th October 2016

0151 709 4321

www.royalcourtliverpool.co.uk/

Rhyl

Pavillion Theatre

12-15 October 2016

01745 330000

www.rhylpavilion.co.uk/

Preston

Charter Theatre

19 – 22 October 2016

01772 804444

www.prestonguildhall.com/

Southport

Theatre and convention centre

24-27 October 2016

0844 871 3021

www.atgtickets.com/venues/southport

Warrington

Pyramid & Parr Hall

28-29 October 2016

01925 442345
www.pyramidparrhall.com

STOCKPORT
Plaza Theatre
1 – 4 November 2016
0161 477 7779
www.stockportplaza.co.uk/ 

ST HELENS
Theatre Royal
7 – 12 November 2016
01744 756000
www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com/