Preview: Twopence To Cross The Mersey at Darlington Hippodrome

 

Full Cast Announced For Brand New Stage Production Of Helen Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey

 

Twopence To Cross The Mersey

Darlington Hippodrome

Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 October 2022

The cast features Mark Moraghan, Lynn Francis, Parry Glasspool, Jenny Murphy and Daniel Taylor who will all be coming to Darlington Hippodrome in October.

The full cast for the first major UK national tour of Helen Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey has been announced.

Twopence To Cross The Mersey UK Premiere Tour 2022 opens this September in Wirral, a place which features heavily in Helen’s million-selling books.

The hit stage drama has been revamped and updated as it gears up to visit 15 venues nationwide during Autumn 2022. The 9-strong cast, playing over 40 characters, has now been announced and includes five cast members who have appeared in its sister show By The Waters Of Liverpool. 

The new touring production of Twopence To Cross The Mersey is produced by Rob Fennah and Lynn McDermott for Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms and Directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

The creative team are delighted to reveal the cast Mark Moraghan, Daniel Taylor, Parry Glasspool, Jenny Murphy, Lynn Francis, Lynne Fitzgerald, Robert Hudson, Roy Carruthers, and Chloe McDonald.

Mark Moraghan will play John Forrester (Helen’s father). Mark previously played ‘Father’ in the 2007 and 2009 adaptations of Twopence To Cross The Mersey, and reprised the role in the follow-up stage drama of Helen’s book By The Waters Of Liverpool in 2018 and 2020. Mark is best known for his roles in Holby City, Coronation Street and Brookside.

Daniel Taylor plays Mr Ferris and is also part of the Ensemble. He is an award-winning actor, producer and director, and was most recently seen on stage in Blood Brothers. Daniel appeared at Liverpool Theatre Festival 2020 in his show The Very Best Of Tommy Cooper, and returned the following year in Something About George – The George Harrison Story.

Parry Glasspool will play Helen’s brother Alan. He is best known for playing Harry Thompson in Hollyoaks. He was born and raised in the Midlands, before moving to London to study for his BA Hons in Acting for Stage and Media at the University of West London. After five years, Parry made a dramatic exit from Hollyoaks in 2020 when he was murdered.

After an open call for auditions to find Helen, Jenny Murphy was awarded the role. Jenny wowed the panel and now joins the touring production. She trained at Mount view Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre credits include Oliver Twist, Pride & Prejudice, Merry Wives of Windsor, The Jungle Book, Cilla – The Musical, Julius Caesar, The Little Match Girl, and The Decameron.

Lynn Francis plays Helen’s mother Celia Forrester, Roy Carruthers (Ensemble), and Chloe McDonald (Ensemble) – and all return having appeared in previous stage productions of Helen Forrester books presented by Pulse Records Limited.

Lynne Fitzgerald plays Mrs Foster and (Ensemble), and Robert Hudson (Ensemble) complete the cast. Both are appearing for the first time in a Helen Forrester adaptation.

Millions of people around the world know Helen Forrester’s life story told through her best-selling volumes of autobiography, Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Liverpool Miss, By The Waters Of Liverpool, and Lime Street At Two.

Helen’s literary achievements were celebrated in 2020 when an iconic Blue Plaque was unveiled at the late author’s family home in Hoylake, a place which featured heavily in her work.

Tickets:

Twopence To Cross The Mersey runs at Darlington Hippodrome on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 October. Tickets are on sale now. For more information or to book call 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk