Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre are set to join forces this summer to stage the première of Anne-Marie Casey’s new adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s much loved tale Little Women.
Directed by Watford Palace Theatre’s Artistic Director Brigid Larmour, Little Women will première at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 21 July – 29 September and then transfer to Watford Palace Theatre from 11-22 October.
Published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is one of the best loved novels of all time. By turns comic, dramatic, romantic, and tragic, the book was inspired by Alcott’s experiences growing up with her three sisters and is the story of the March family, mother Marmee and her daughters, beautiful Meg, strong-minded Jo, sensitive Beth, and spoilt Amy, as they struggle to survive in New England during the American Civil War.
Anne-Marie Casey’s adaptation of the classic story offers an exciting theatrical experience, guaranteed to be a night (or afternoon!) filled with laughter, tears, and a lifting of the spirits.
Little Women’s exciting cast will feature Rachael McAllister (A Christmas Carol, Pitlochry Festival Theatre) as Jo March; Jessica Brydges (Peter Pan. Maltings Theatre) as Meg March; Meg Chaplin (Arrival, imPOSSIBLE) as Beth March; Anna Fordham (The Borrowers, Watermill Theatre and The Athena, Sky) as Amy March; Amelia Donkor (As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew, Royal Shakespeare Company and Eastenders, BBC) as Marmee; Tom Richardson (The Prince and the Pauper, New Vic Theatre) as Prof Bhaer/John Brooke; Deirdre Davis (Eileen Donachie in River City, BBC Scotland and the films Orphans and Get Duked) as Aunt March; and newcomer Richie Spencer as Laurie.
Little Women is designed by Ruari Murchison, lighting design by Kate Bonney, music composed and directed, and sound designed by Niroshini Thambar, and movement directed by Saffy Setohy
Director and Watford Palace Artistic Director Brigid Larmour said: ‘Lockdown has had its weird upsides! It enabled collaborative zoom play readings in the ether between Pitlochry and Watford, attended by audiences as far afield as Shetland and Chicago. That led to a partnership to co-create on two major productions over the next two years, and share them between our two theatres, and nations.
Little Women is loved by huge numbers of people, from Margaret Attwood to Patti Smith to Caitlin Moran. Anne-Marie Casey’s fresh, fast-moving take on this family isolated together at home, fractious and loving, tragic, and funny – took on a whole new meaning in lockdown! There is nothing chocolate-box about the show. It’s the best in period drama like Bridgerton, with some of the cheeky humour, and all the heart of Derry Girls.
An earlier version of this script had two sell-out runs at Dublin’s Gate Theatre, and I think it’s the kind of joyous and engaging theatre we all need right now.’
Little Women runs at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 21 July -29 September and then transfers to Watford Palace Theatre from 11-22 October.
Tickets for Little Women are available the box office on 01796 484626 or online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
