Goodnight Mr Tom Photography by David Sprecher |
The story follows the life of a
repressed and battered boy (William Beech) evacuated into the country
and billeted with a reluctant Mr Thomas Oakley. Taken in hand by an
irrepressible fellow evacuee (Zacharias Wrench – a bit of a
mouthful), William finds friends and a talent for drawing. But just
as he begins to come out of his shell, and Mr Tom finds his own
reclusive heart coming alive, William’s mother sends for him.
Back in London we see just how harrowing the abuse of Will by his deranged mother is, and the plot continues to get darker.
However his friends have not forgotten him. Mr Tom and Zach separately go to look for him and Mr Tom finds William locked in the cellar with his dead half sister who he had been trying to look after. Taken to hospital William has nightmares and is about to be committed when, during an emergency in the hospital, Mr Tom liberates him. However even now there is further horror in store for William and only at the very end do you feel that there is hope.
‘Goodnight Mr Tom', is a complex and
emotional play. The children Michael Gibson (William) and Isaac
Insley (Zach) are very strong leads. Isaac plays for comedy, but with
an undercurrent of strength, sympathy and empathy, while Michael runs
a whole gamut of repressed and exuberant emotion. On his own
emotional journey David Sellar, as Mr Tom, is tender and very
believable, and Cathy McManamon (William’s mother) is frightening
in her madness and loss of control.
The rest of the cast backed up these
performances - the children were all great, having to swap roles from
nasty bullies in London to more accepting locals in the countryside.
See below for a list of the cast. The adult cast also had to change
roles more than once. Although you knew they were the same actor,
each role had its own characterisation and showed the actor’s skill
in keeping them separate.
The stage was simply dressed leaving
the cast free to act and draw the audience in. A nice touch was the
use of the cast as scenery movers – while they were moving the
props around they all chatted away in character so there were no gaps
in the momentum of the play.
The music and singing was enthusiastic
and enhanced the depth of feeling evoked in the appreciative
audience. The children’s dancing was fun and the ghostly Rachel at
just the right level between being insipid and naff.
‘Goodnight Mr Tom’ has been running
this week (finishing Saturday). Be prepared with hankies...
Reviewed by Hilary Glover
Cast
Tom : David Sellar
William : Michael Gibson
Mrs. Beech : Cathy McManamon
Mr. Stelton : Richard Willis
Zach : Isaac Insley
Peggy Foulkes : Despina Sellar
Dr. Nancy Little : Harriet Watson
George : Aaron Tewelde
Carrie : Bessy Walmsley
Ginnie : Eliza Insley
Anthony Peters : Richard Kirby
Gwen Fletcher : Sarah Sharp
Annie Hartridge : Pam Gordon
Charlie Ruddles : Jonathan Norris
Ticket Man : Chris Falco
Cockney Woman : Kate Fearnley
Rachel : Helen Guthrie
Other Children : Tashi Dema, Mitko
Falco, Charlotte Gordon, Ezra Roberts, Jada Jones, Noah Liddington,
Louis Millar, Alexander Porter
Elsewhere on this blog:
- WIN an evening with Divas and Scholars: History of Opera
- Fantastic Fantasio Opera Rara and the OAE at the Festival Hall
- Tallis Scholars at Temple Winter Festival
- Intensely moving: Poulenc's Carmelites at Theatre des Champs Elysees, Paris
- Magical: My Fair Lady at the Chatelet Theatre, Paris
- Rare and wonderful: Lawrence Zazzo in Handel, Bononcini and Ariosti
- Stunning: Beethoven's Missa Solemnis from John Eliot Gardiner
- Hilliard Ensemble's 40th birthday party
- War and Peace: Music for Remembrance Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge - CD review
- National Children's Orchestras at the Royal Festival Hall
- Christmas at the Chapel Royal Alistair Dixon and Chapelle du Roi
- Two Dutchmen: Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble perform Wagner and Dietsch - CD review
- Les Apotheoses Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques
- Mark Padmore & Heath Quartet - Tippett Songs and Quartets
- The Barber of Neville - Howard Blake concertos - CD review
- Home
No comments:
Post a Comment