Little Women at The York Theatre Royal – Review

Little Women at York Theatre Royal

Last night, I attended the press night of Little Women at the York Theatre Royal. I took a young family friend who loves the theatre and is currently doing her GCSEs, and crucially, didn’t know the story of Little Women. I was a little unsure how she would fare, and whether, she would find it fast paced enough. Suffice to say I have added a new Little Women fan to the hordes of others who have fallen in love with this story over the years.

The first half of the evening introduces us to Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth, on Christmas Eve during the American Civil War.  They are sad because they have no money for gifts and their father is away in the conflict.  As the story progresses we follow the girls as they grow through trials and tribulations.  It’s warm, funny and comforting, and brought joy on a wet Autumn night in York.

Little Women at York Theatre Royal

The second half – without giving any spoilers just in case – was a little more emotional. There is a particularly poignant scene that was so well played that there was a significant amount of suspicious sniffing afterwards. From people who didn’t seem to have colds in the first half. And yes, I was among them. This is your warning to take some tissues!

A favourite actor of mine, Jack Ashton (Most notably for me, played the Reverend Tom Hereward in Call The Midwife as well as lots of other things) took on the characters of both John Brooke and Professor Baer. During the interval, I remarked to the young guest I had taken along, that I felt he was a little underused, but he really came into his own as Professor Baer. Indeed she was convinced that the actor was German!

Little Women is playing at the York Theatre Royal until the 12th of October.

The official bit:

Jack Ashton, one of the stars of hit BBC TV series Call the Midwife, has joined the cast of York Theatre Royal’s production of Little Women.

He will play two roles, John Brooke and Professor Baer, love interests for Meg and Jo, in the production which opens the theatre’s autumn season from September 21 to October 12.

Jack previously appeared at York Theatre Royal in The Guinea Pig Club, Twelfth Night, The Homecoming, End of Desire and Escaping Alice. His other theatre credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (Donmar Warehouse) and Strangers on a Train (national tour).

Jack is best known for his Call the Midwife role as the Rev Tom Hereward. Other TV credits include Endeavour and Waterloo Road. Last year he joined the cast of Radio 4’s The Archers as Harry Chilcott. He also starred in the 2017 film Instrument of War, playing an American pilot shot down and imprisoned during the Second World War.

Juliet Forster (Around the World In 80 Days-ish!, Sovereign, A View from the Bridge, Sense and Sensibility) directs Anne-Marie Casey’s adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s classic coming-of-age novel which puts a fresh take on the story of headstrong Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth and Amy growing up in New England during the American Civil War.

Juliet, who is Creative Director at York Theatre Royal said: “We are thrilled to be staging an adaptation of such a much-loved classic. Louisa May Alcott’s story of Jo and her sisters finding their way in the world is so relatable to modern audiences and Anne-Marie Casey’s brilliant adaptation really brings to life the wonderful characters.”

Playing Marmee isYorkshire actress Kate Hampson who returns to York Theatre Royal after taking the title role in the community production The Coppergate Woman in 2022. Other stage roles include Mother/Mrs Perks in The Railway Children at Hull Truck Theatre, while her TV appearances include ITV’s The Bay.

Freya Parks, who recently starred in the BBC TV series This Town and ITV detective drama Grace, plays headstrong Jo March with Ainy Medina (Meg), Helen Chong (Amy) and Laura Soper (Beth) as her sisters. Laura is a former member of York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre who previously appeared on the theatre’s main stage in Swallows and Amazons and Hetty Feather.

Completing the cast are Nikhil Singh Rai (Laurie) andCaroline Gruber (Aunt March), previously seen in The Machine Stops in York Theatre Royal Studio.

Little Women can be seen at York Theatre Royal from September 21 to October 12.

Box office 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

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