Goodnight Mister Tom
by David Wood, Michelle Magorian

Highlights

Female

Male

120 mins 1940s/WWII Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes

Awards & Recognition

Olivier Award

Winner! 2013 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family

Synopsis

One of the most uplifting stories ever written, Michelle Magorian’s stunning Goodnight Mister Tom is brought gloriously to life in this stage adaptation by David Wood – the UK’s “National Children’s Dramatist” ( The Times ). Set during the dark and dangerous build-up to the Second World War, Goodnight Mister Tom follows sad young William Beech, who is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside and builds a remarkable and moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley.

All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London.

Press Reviews

"If you are looking for a family show with real emotional depth and staying power, David Wood's remarkably appealing stage adaptation of the 1981 children's classic is just the ticket."
— The Independent

"Goodnight Mr. Tom is a powerful learning experience in terms of both the historical context and the horrors of war and worth seeing for those aspects alone. But it is also a totally engrossing and compelling story that is endearing, heartwarming, touching, tender and ultimately uplifting. And you cannot wish for much more than that!"
— London Theatre

"Works like a charm… the play will speak to children, without question – but it may well be adults, looking back at a long-ago England while catching reactions of their own younger, fearful selves, it moves the most. Recommended."
— Daily Telegraph

"Tugs the heart strings… moments of enchanting comedy… splendidly faithful to the book… a big success."
— The Independent

"It ends as children’s theatre should: adults audibly sniveling and children breathlessly attentive. Here’s a suggestion: ever since the role of children’s laureate was created, the title has gone to novelists, a poet and the illustrator Quentin Blake. It should now go to a playwright, to acknowledge that theatre too has a vital role. David Wood has been making quality children’s plays for 43 years. Herewith my nomination."
— The Times

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Tom Oakley mid-to-late 60s, loner	—	60s	mid-to-late 60s, loner
William Beech 10, deprived evacuee	—	—	10, deprived evacuee
Sammy a black and white collie dog	—	—	a black and white collie dog
Charlie Ruddles ARP Warden	—	—	ARP Warden
Mrs. Fletcher housewife and mother	female	—	housewife and mother
Doctor Little the local doctor	—	—	the local doctor
Mrs. Annie Hartridge school teacher	—	—	school teacher
David Hartridge her husband, trainee RAF pilot	female	—	her husband, trainee RAF pilot
Carrie 11, redheaded twin to GINNIE, academic	—	—	11, redheaded twin to GINNIE, academic
Ginnie 11, redheaded twin to CARRIE, practical	—	—	11, redheaded twin to CARRIE, practical
George Fletcher 10, youngest son of Mrs Fletcher	female	—	10, youngest son of Mrs Fletcher
Miss Thorne local librarian and amateur dramatics producer	—	—	local librarian and amateur dramatics producer
Zach 11, Jewish evacuee, from a theatrical family	—	—	11, Jewish evacuee, from a theatrical family
Mr. Miller proprietor of the Post Office/Stores	—	—	proprietor of the Post Office/Stores
Miss Miller who helps her father in the shop. Late teens, early 20s	female	20s	who helps her father in the shop. Late teens, early 20s
Vicar young, enthusiastic	—	—	young, enthusiastic
Mrs. Beech William’s mother, strict, prim, mentally disturbed	female	—	William’s mother, strict, prim, mentally disturbed
Ticket Collector (London)	—	—	(London)
Arp Warden (London)	—	—	(London)
Glad warm-hearted Londoner	—	—	warm-hearted Londoner
Policeman solid and strong	—	—	solid and strong
Nurse young and sympathetic	—	—	young and sympathetic
Sister stands no nonsense	—	—	stands no nonsense
Mr. Stelton a psychiatrist	—	—	a psychiatrist
Billeting Officer efficient no-nonsense female	female	—	efficient no-nonsense female