Full casting has been announced for Goodnight Mister Tom, the Phoenix theatre’s Christmas family offering starring Olivier Award-winner Oliver Ford Davies.
The production, which began life at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2011, will see Ford Davies reprise his role as the gruff Tom Oakley from 22 November for a nine week run. The production will then embark on a UK tour.
Joining Ford Davies are fellow original cast members Louise Collins (Mirror Teeth, Finborough theatre), Joanne Howarth (Bingo, Young Vic), Aoife McMahon (Translations, Abbey theatre, Dublin), Freya Parker (Headlong’s Six Characters In Search Of An Author), Georgina Sutton (Blood & Ice, Young Vic), Alan Vicary (The Power Of Yes, National Theatre), Jonathan Warde (Danton’s Death, National Theatre) and Emma Drysdale, as well as newcomers to the production Elisa de Grey, Bradley Hall and Osmund Bullock.
Now a modern classic, Michelle Magorian’s wonderfully uplifting tale has been adapted for the stage by acclaimed playwright David Wood. Directed By Angus Jackson, who returns to the West End following another Chichester Festival Theatre transfer The Browning Version, the story is set during the dark and dangerous build up to the Second World War and follows sad William Beech, who is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside and builds a remarkable and moving friendship with elderly recluse Tom Oakley. All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London.
Concluding the cast are six talented young performers who will alternate the roles of the play’s young stars Zach and William. Arthur Gledhill Franks, Jamie Goldberg and Ewan Harris will alternate the role of William, while Joseph Holgate, Thiago Los and William Price will alternate as Zach.