New Twopence Play Opens To Rave Reviews

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Epstein Theatre

Forrester's son to fly in from Canada to see the show!

The new stage play version of Helen Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey opened last week at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre to rave reviews and standing ovations for performances so far, and the producers have deemed the new format as being an instant success.

The new play will continue to run at the Epstein Theatre until Saturday March 28 before moving on to venues in Southport, St Helens and New Brighton.

The 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 on press night and is flying over to Liverpool especially to see the production. The author’s son will make a special visit to Liverpool on Tuesday March 24 with his family to see his mother’s story retold on stage in this brand new production.

The show has an 8-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."

Helen Forrester’s 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.

Twopence To Cross The Mersey runs in the Epstein Theatre until Saturday March 28. For ticket information, click here.