Major U.K. Tour For Helen Forrester’s By The Waters Of Liverpool Announced.

Following on from its highly acclaimed run at the Liverpool Empire Theatre last autumn, By The Waters Of Liverpool is set to embark on a major U.K. tour in Spring 2020 it has been revealed.

The production follows the smash-hit success of Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey and is being brought to audiences by the team behind both the musical and stage play versions of the award-winning true story.

By The Waters Of Liverpool is a period drama set in the 1930s. The story opens in 1935. Helen Forrester is sixteen years old and fighting a bitter battle with her parents for the right to educate herself and go out to work.

During the Great Depression, Helen’s father lost his fortune when the stock market and the family were suddenly thrown into poverty. Leaving behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England, the Forrester’s chose Liverpool as the place to start over. They were in for a terrible shock. Taken out of school to care for her younger brothers and sisters while her parents struggled to re-build their shattered lives, Helen is treated as an unpaid slave and desperate to escape.

By 1939, now aged twenty and with Britain on the brink of war, she has never been kissed by a man. But things start looking up for Helen when she meets a tall strong seaman and falls in love.

And in celebration of what would have been Helen Forrester’s 100th Birthday, the 11-week tour will open at Wirral’s, New Brighton Floral Pavilion from March 3rd-8th, 2020, just a few miles from where she was born.

The tour will then move on to the Stockport Plaza from March 10th-12th, Warrington Parr Hall on March 14th-15th, St. Helens Theatre Royal from March 17th-21st, Lancaster Grand on March 23rd-24th, Crewe Lyceum on March 25th-26th, and Southport Theatre on March 27th-28th.

It continues with dates at Rhyl Pavilion Theatre from March 31st to April 4th, Swansea Grand Theatre on April 6th-7th, Darlington Hippodrome from April 9th-11th, and Malvern Theatres on April 14th-15th.

The 2nd leg of the tour and full casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

Millions of people know Helen Forrester’s life story told through her best-selling volumes of autobiography, Twopence to Cross the Mersey, Liverpool Miss and By The Waters Of Liverpool.

Writer and friend of Helen Forrester, Rob Fennah has written both the stage play versions of Twopence To Cross The Mersey and By The Waters Of Liverpool. The new touring production is again produced by Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms and is directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

Rob Fennah said, “We had an amazing response when we premiered By The Waters Of Liverpool last autumn. Helen Forrester’s books resonate with millions of people across the U.K. and many more around the world.

This adaptation of By The Waters Of Liverpool features a sizeable chunk from Liverpool Miss, Helen’s second volume of autobiography, together with flashbacks to Twopence To Cross The Mersey, so newcomers to Helen’s story will get a complete picture of her life.

This June marks the centenary of Helen’s birth and, although she is no longer with us, she’ll be in our thoughts at this very special time. Last year her son Robert Bhatia made the journey from Canada to see the production at the Liverpool Empire and loved it. Now, with Robert’s full backing, we can’t wait to share his mother’s story with audiences across the U.K.”

By The Waters Of Liverpool by Helen Forrester has sold more than a million books. Now this is your chance to see it come to life in this exciting new stage play adaptation.

LISTING INFORMATION

BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL

FLORAL PAVILION

Tuesday 3rd-Sunday 8th March 2020

Marine Promenade, New Brighton, CH45 2JS