24th-28th October at 7.30pm with a 2pm matinee on Saturday 28th
In September 1939 a boy, William Beech, is evacuated from London.
In the tranquil village of Little Weirwold Tom Oakley, a recluse, lives with his dog Sammy.
When Tom reluctantly agrees to billet William neither can begin to imagine the monumental consequences that will ensue, changing both their lives forever: “Oh Sammy, what’s we landed ourselves? Eh? I ent ‘ad much experience at this ‘ere motherin’ lark. You neither eh? Best not get fond of the boy” (Tom - Act 1)
But despite his intentions Tom DOES get increasingly fond of the timid and fearful child who has come in to his life. And William in turn begins to blossom under Tom’s warm care, losing much of his introversion, learning how to read and make friends in the village and sharing his growing happiness with Sammy.
However, it is not just over war-threatened Britain that ominous clouds are brewing, there are storms ahead for William and when he is summoned back to London by his forbidding mother, both he and Tom have to face personal battles as ravaging and devastating as anything the war might throw at them.
Goodnight Mister Tom won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family in 2013 and it is easy to see why. The novel has been enchanting readers since its publication in 1981 and David Wood’s sympathetic and engaging adaptation will delight young and old alike. This joyous, captivating and poignant production is ideally suited to the intimacy and versatile staging of The Mission Theatre and is brought to Bath audiences by leading actors from Next Stage Theatre Company and Next Stage Youth. Under the directorship of Ann Ellison, David Dunn - last seen in Habeas Corpus - plays the role of Tom and Georges Boutin - Young Pip in Great Expectations - is William.
Rehearsal Photographs:
