REVIEW: Goodnight Mister Tom
By Miranda Newey
HAVING been unable to put Michelle Magorian’s novel Goodnight Mister Tom down as a child I was keen, yet wary of seeing the book transformed into a play. But thankfully David Wood’s play, which is currently showcasing at Manchester Opera House until Saturday, captures the images portrayed by the book perfectly.

Set in England in the early days of the Second World War the play sees William Beech, a troubled evacuee from Deptford, London, placed with reclusive pensioner Tom Oakley in Dorset.

With jolly villagers and enthusiastic teachers in the West Country location it seems the wartime tale will be plain sailing.

But the frosty welcome given by widower Mr Oakley, known as Mr Tom, starts to thaw as he realises William needs some TLC. Appearing to be a fragile loner William grows in confidence and is taken under the wing of Zach, a confident evacuee full of life.

The play’s scenery is quite simplistic with backdrops of pretty picture postcards of Devon. But it effectively shows the darkness of William’s home life in comparison. As the London scenery sees the vivid colours drain and portrays his mother’s home as being dark and cave like. William’s mother is shown as a neurotic, who doesn’t think twice about beating her young son for ‘sinning’.

Oliver Ford Davies, who played Mr Tom, captured my image of the miserable grieving man who transforms into a softening surrogate father perfectly.

But my favourite performances were by Ewan Harris, who played William, and William Price, who played friend Zach.

Despite being only 11 years old, Ewan was able to pull of the frightened body language of a beaten boy, who then grows in confidence and becomes more at ease perfectly.

William was hilarious as Zach with his theatrical outbursts and tap dancing around the stage and gave a performance beyond his years.

The play is a must for families and those who can’t resist a heart-warming tale with a few twists and turns.