Full Cast Announced For Birmingham Stage Company's Production of Liz Pichon's Best-Selling Series TOM GATES

Birmingham Stage Company today announces the full cast for their production of Tom Gates, written by Liz Pichon. Neal Foster directs Matthew Chase (Tom Gates), Ashley Cousins (Marcus/Granny), Matthew Gordan (Derek/Grandad), Amy Hargreaves (Amy/Delia), Daniel Harkin (Mr Fullerman/Dad) and Alice Redmond (Mum). The production opens on 20 March with previews from 14 February, and tours until 30 November 2019.

Tom's doing everything possible to stay out of trouble but somehow he's got THREE sad faces on the school achievement chart! And getting another sad face means Mr Fullerman won't let him go on the SCHOOL TRIP! Moany Marcus Meldrew is making things worse and now Tom's annoyed his grumpy sister Delia. EVEN Amy Porter (who's smart) won't talk to him! Can his best friend Derek help? Will Rooster the dog stop eating his homework? Will his grandparents the Fossils ever make something he can actually EAT?

With 15 books in the Tom Gates series so far, Liz Pichon is a multiple number one bestselling children's author and illustrator. Over 5 million copies of Tom Gates books have sold in the UK and abroad and the series has been translated into 43 languages. Liz has won over 20 awards including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Waterstones Children's Book Prize for 'Best Fiction for 5 to 12 year olds', multiple Specsaver Bestseller Awards and a Blue Peter Book Award - and badge! In 2017, Liz was the World Book Day illustrator and the Tom Gates series has been optioned for television.

Matthew Chase plays Tom Gates. His theatre credits include Paw Patrol, Aliens Love Underpants (UK tour), 9 To 5 The Musical (The Gatehouse), The Hired Man (Union Theatre) and Personals (Landor Theatre).

Ashley Cousins plays Marcus/Granny. His theatre credits include Awful Auntie, Gangsta Granny (UK tour), Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre), Waiting For Godot (Reading Rep Theatre) and Sandel (Above The Stag). His television credits include Cradle to Grave.

Matthew Gordon plays Derek/Grandad. His theatre credits include Roost (Octagon Theatre Bolton) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Arundel Castle).

Amy Hargreaves plays Amy/Delia. Her theatre credits include Curl Up and Die (Tristan Bates Theatre), Piccadilly (Italian tour), Happily Ever After (Bunker Theatre) and Stone Soup (Albert Halls Bolton).

Daniel Harkin plays Mr Fullerman/Dad. His theatre credits include Guess How Much I Love You (UK tour), Comet (Pleasance Theatre), and Jane Eyre and The Wind in the Willows (UK and Ireland tour).

Alice Redmond plays Mum. Her theatre credits include Seasons Greetings, Oklahoma! (Gordon Craig Theatre), She Said The F Word, The Homosexual Necrophiliac Duck (Tètè â Tètè Festival), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (88 London Road), Oliver! (Frinton Summer Theatre), Cats (UK tour), Tracey Beaker Gets Real (Nottingham Playhouse/UK tour), Alice in Wonderland (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Carmen (New Vic Theatre/UK tour), Sinbad and the Diamond Princess (The Theatre, Chipping Norton), Cabaret (The Broadway Theatre) and Little Shop of Horrors (Landor Space).

Neal Foster is Actor/Manager of Birmingham Stage Company which since its foundation in 1992 has staged over eighty productions. The company has become one of the world's leading producers of theatre for children and their families, including Horrible Histories Live on Stage for thirteen years in the UK, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. Foster has written and directed all of the most recent Horrible Histories shows including Barmy Britain - Parts One, Two, Three & Four (Garrick Theatre, Apollo Theatre and Sydney Opera House); Groovy Greeks and Incredible Invaders for a national tour and Wicked Warwick at Warwick Castle. His first fictional adaptation was David Walliams' Gangsta Granny, which transferred to the Garrick Theatre and then the Harold Pinter Theatre and was nominated for a Best Entertainment and Family Olivier Award. His adaptation of David Walliams' Awful Auntie is completing its 18 month national tour and his next David Walliams' show will be Billionaire Boy in autumn 2019.