Review: Goodnight Mister Tom at Harrogate Theatre is not to be missed

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It’s 1939. Britain is on the brink of war and young evacuees begin to flee the fear of bombardment in the cities for the safety of the countryside.

William Beech, a deprived and timid boy from Deptford, London, is taken in by the reclusive, gruff widower, Tom Oakley. While at first they find it hard to adjust to life together, they soon develop a strong bond, each learning the power of kinship and love.

Based on the 1981 children’s book by Michelle Magorian and David Wood’s 2011 adaptation for stage, Harrogate Dramatic Society (HDS) render their own version with great care.

The huge cast, with a central youth ensemble, is thrilling to observe. Bodies fill the stage, driving the action, and even embodying it: at one point, slickly choreographed writhing humans suggest the detonation of bomb after bomb. The physicality is striking.

Puppetry is also used to excellent effect, most notably with Mister Tom’s dog, Sammy, but also with a whole host of countryside creatures, introducing William to the wonders of wildlife. He has never seen a squirrel before.

Every single person plays a part (and often, multiple parts) and each brings heart and vivacity, creating a whole world on stage.

And then, there are the main characters. Louie Stow, one of two actors playing William on the run, captured his character beautifully, moving from vulnerable boy to one who begins to see how wonderful life can be. Ewan Donaldson, as William’s irrepressibly loveable friend and fellow evacuee, Zach, is pure joy, and probably won the most laughs of the evening.

And then, of course, there is Mister Tom. The late John Thaw, who starred in the 1998 film version, has long been Tom in my head, but HDS’s Stuart Newsome may have changed that. He is captivating as the misunderstood widower, handling his role with warmth and delicacy. Newsome would be at home on any professional stage.

Director Kelly Nevett manages to interweave joy and sadness into her production, as if they were old friends. Joyful picnics juxtapose against the horrors of telegrams delivering terrible news. Vera Lynn’s Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye) is sung as a jaunty refrain, but later, becomes something much more haunting. As the play reached its end, I heard plenty of tearful sniffles.

Deeply moving, uplifting and filled with love, HDS’s Goodnight Mister Tom is not to be missed. Just make sure you have tissues at the ready.

Goodnight Mister Tom is on at Harrogate Theatre until Saturday, October 18.