'Goodnight Mister Tom' Duke of York's Theatre ****

What is exciting about theatre at times is when your childhood is brought back to your memory i.e. film adaptation, music, children’s literature etc. and how it somewhat leaves a smile on your face, as well as, a little tear moving down the side of your face. The West End production of David Wood’s stage adaptation of Michelle Magorian’s novel, ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ is an uplifting and touching production where townies and country folk can actually get along with each other, in addition to this, the portrayals were superbly presented.

‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ is set during World War II where we’re transported to rural Dorset where the young Willie Beach, an evacuee from London has been sent to the countryside, like lots of children from the cities were sent to prevent them from being massacred.  Willie is sent to stay with Tom Oakley, a widower in his sixties and is known for being reclusive and cantankerous and vastly unpopular. Tom is immediately hesitant to take on this responsibility of Willie but the Billeting Officer (Georgina Sutton) states that Willie’s mother has requested for Willie to stay with a religious man or a person who lives by a church. Tom becomes fond of Willie and feels that he has to help Willie progress such as his education, stopping him urinating the bed etc. So when Willie’s teacher, Mrs Hartridge informs Tom that Willie cannot read or write and that he has been put into a class with 5-6 year olds, this instigates that Willie must work hard in order to return to her class. As such; Tom teaches Willie to read and write from the basic level and over time he makes huge progress and returns to Mrs Hartridge’s class. We see that Willie has a talent for painting and Tom becomes nostalgic as his wife, who died with Scarlett Fever, as did his son was a keen painter so it makes him feel somewhat moved.  Willie is constantly bullied by the local children, such as; George (Clark Devlin), Carrie (Martha Seignior) and Ginnie (Hollie Taylor) for being an evacuee and for being smaller than a boy of his age. Over the course of the show, Willie forms a strong friendship with fellow evacuee, Zach who is currently residing with Dr Little (Simon Markey) and it seems that that Willie has become more comfortable with his new life in the country. Death is ever present as Mrs Hartridge’s husband, David (Guy Lewis) and George’s brother have been killed in action. At a rehearsal in the local amateur drama society, Tom informs Willie that his mother has requested for his instant return so when he does return home to Deptford, it appears that his mother, Mrs Beach (Melle Stewart) is mentally disturbed. She physically attacks Willie for apparently lying and stealing in the countryside and when Willie is shown his baby sister, you can see that Mrs Beach is not fit enough to be a proper mother. When Tom visits London and sees how malnourished Willie is, he knows that he will have to start from square one again and as he feels that the hospital isn’t properly caring for Willie he makes the decision to kidnap Willie. Back in the countryside, Willie is having nightmares, yet his friendship with Zach resumes but Zach is told in a rehearsal that he has to go home and we learns that when Zach is at home that he and his parents have been murdered by a bomb. Willie is furious with God. At the finale, Tom explains to Willie that he has just become the sole guardian for him, which means he is his adopted father and that he will always be the protector that he has needed for such a long time. Wood’s narrative is charming as with what we already know about the film version that starred the late John Thaw, we can see the touching relationship between Tom and Willie blossom in a warzone environment where conflict could have been the most prominent thing but this isn’t the case with this plotline. 

One found the performances by the company of, ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ to be immensely absorbing through clearly defined characters with pretty convincing West Country accents and the intonations of the Cockney pronunciations were marvellous. Also the use of puppetry to convey the animals; for example Tom’s ever faithful dog Sammy (Elisa De Grey) indicates how integral puppetry is to Children’s Theatre.  David Troughton is excellent as Tom Oakley; especially how the introduction of Willie into his life has re-invigorated it to such where his moody persona has diminished where he becomes passionate about music once again, furthermore, his desperation to find Willie in London shows a softer side to his character. Freddy Hawkins/Joe Reynolds/ Alex Taylor-McDowall who alternate on different performances are peerless as the young, Willie Beach; mostly when he is rescued by Tom in the cramped cupboard in his mother’s home and the look of starvation on his face is so interesting to see how realistic is appears on such a young performer where you sometimes forget how young these boys are. Sonny Kirby/Oliver Loades/Harrison Nobel who alternate on different shows are boundless as the amusing and infectiously confident, Zach; specifically when at the local amateur dramatic society you can see how the character is vastly versatile when it comes to delivery of the many roles that take place there and how his inherited tendencies from his parents have helped him in this. 

Angus Jackson’s direction is magnanimous here as he has fashioned a production that enables us to see how such a well-loved novel and the ever popular film can prove to be slightly new to an audience who already know the plot but can be as emotionally gripping and easily comical and this is conveyed with brilliant characterisations. Robert Innes Hopkins’ design is deeply striking as all localities within the play are brought together with such fruition that you instantly know where you are in the play and the whole look and feel of the design feels applicable to the time period of the wartime Britain. Overall, the experience of, ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ was a jolly good fun play that really brings you back to a part of your childhood that you almost had forgotten with such great effect.