Smash Hit Stage Play Announces Charity Partnership

As North West audiences prepare for the return of the best-selling, smash hit stage play version of Helen Forrester’s ‘Twopence to Cross the Mersey’ in Autumn 2016, producers Pulse Records in association with Bill Elms, have today, 8th June 2016, announced a partnership with Church and charity, The Salvation Army.  

Audiences will be able to donate to The Salvation Army at performances during the North West and North Wales tour of the stage adaption of Helen Forrester’s story about a young girl and her formerly wealthy family who are suddenly thrown into poverty during the Great Depression of the 1930s in Liverpool.  

Money raised at each performance will help to fund the work of the Church and charity supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the community.    Stageplay writer Rob Fennah with author Helen Forrester

Major Drew McCombe, Divisional Commander for North Western region at The Salvation Army, said: “We run a number of community projects, and centres across the region including Lifehouses which are residential centres supporting those experiencing homelessness.   

“We are delighted that audiences of the latest ‘Twopence to Cross the Mersey’ tour will have the opportunity to donate to this work which is transforming lives in every community the play is set to visit.”   The Salvation Army is a movement Helen Forrester was aware of while writing ‘Twopence to Cross the Mersey’ and wrote in a letter:  

"Every week the Salvation Army Band came to our street corner, all dressed up in their uniforms, cymbals clashing, drums rattling, trumpets blowing. They would play all kinds of lively hymn tunes, while we stood and listened, and sometimes joined in the singing. Another musical effort was that of the hurdy-gurdy man. He had a monkey with him, who used to carry a hat round the audience to collect pennies from us. Then there were sad Welsh miners, standing in the gutters and singing superbly their Welsh songs for pennies."  

The tour begins at Liverpool’s Royal Court theatre and a Salvation Army band from local corps (church), Walton, will perform as the audience arrive for the evening press night performance on 22nd September 2016. The tour then continues to a further six venues across the region.   

Full cast in final scene of 2015 production of Twopence    

FULL TOUR LISTING   

TWOPENCE TO CROSS THE MERSEY – The Stage Play  

LIVERPOOL Royal Court Theatre 20 September – 8 October 2016 0151 709 4321 www.royalcourtliverpool.com   

RHYL Pavilion Theatre 12 – 15 October 2016 01745 330000 www.rhylpavilion.co.uk   

PRESTON Charter Theatre 19 – 22 October 2016 01772 804444  www.prestonguildhall.com   

SOUTHPORT Theatre and Convention Centre 24 – 27 October 2016 0844 871 3021  www.atgtickets.com/southport   

WARRINGTON Pyramid & Parr Hall 28 – 29 October 2016 01925 442345 www.pyramidparrhall.com   

STOCKPORT Plaza Theatre 1 – 4 November 2016 0161 477 7779 www.stockportplaza.co.uk   

ST HELENS Theatre Royal 7 – 12 November 2016 01704 756000 www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com   

For more information on the play please visit    www.twopencetocrossthemersey.com