Review: GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, March 8 2016

At the beginning of World War Two, London children are being evacuated to the countryside. In Dorset, widower Thomas Oakley begrudgingly accepts young William Beech into his home as it is obligatory to house evacuees. Mr Oakley is lovingly nicknamed "Mister Tom" by the boy and it becomes apparent very quickly that Will has been badly mistreated. Act One sees Will thrive in his new surroundings but that changes when he gets word that his mother is ill and he has to go back to London.

Having read the book more times than I can count and owning both the VHS and DVD copies of the ITV drama, it's safe to say I knew what I was getting in for with Goodnight Mister Tom. I saw one review that described the play as "a bit of a tearjerker" which is quite the understatement; "full-on snotty crying" would be more apt in my case! Goodnight Mister Tom doesn't so much tug at the heart strings as rip them straight out. But it does it so beautifully.

The whole cast were outstanding. Freddy Hawkins played William Beech perfectly and Harrison Noble was excellent as his best friend Zach. David Troughton has been well cast in the lead as Mister Tom while thoroughly unlikeable Melle Stewart was fantastic in the role of William's abusive mother. The part of Sammy the collie was played by a beautiful puppet with the help of puppeteer Elisa De Grey. Much like with War Horse and The Lion King, the dog becomes "real" very quickly and is a lovely touch to the production.

A gorgeous adaptation of a wonderful story, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this production of Goodnight Mister Tom to anyone.

Goodnight Mister Tom runs at the Theatre Royal until Saturday 12th March.

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