THE cast of a new play based on Wirral author Helen Forrester's Twopence To Cross The Mersey has been revealed.

The play visits four Merseyside venues when it takes to the road between March 10 and April 23. It opens with a three-week run at Liverpool's Epstein Theatre from March 10-28, followed by visits to Southport Theatre from April 9 to 11. It's then onto St Helens Theatre Royal from April 14-16.

The tour concludes with a trip across the River Mersey to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton from April 19 to 23.

It tells the true story of a young girl and her formerly wealthy family suddenly thrown into poverty during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Leaving behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South of England, they uproot their shattered lives and choose Liverpool as the place to start again to rebuild their dreams and fortune. Unbeknown to them however, a terrible shock awaits them.

The eight-strong cast – a number of whom will play dual roles in the production – features a number of well known and popular Liverpool actors.

Mother will be played by Emma Dears, known for her role as Liza Minelli in the acclaimed musical Judy & Liza which she also wrote and produced.

Playing the role of Hoylake-born Helen is Widnes born Maria Lovelady, who was hand-picked from almost 50 actresses who recently auditioned for the role. Daniel Stephen Davies takes the role of Young Alan. Eithne Browne, Jake Abraham, Roy Carruthers and Brian Dodd all take on lead roles.

Twopence to Cross the Mersey tells the true story of a young girl and her formerly wealthy family as they are suddenly thrown into poverty during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In its earlier format, the musical version of the show had four hugely successful runs at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre, firstly in 2004 and then returning in 2005, 2007 and 2009, with Rob Fennah and production company Pulse Records.

The new version is staged by Pulse in collaboration with producer and stage writer Rob Fennah and new co-producer Bill Elms. They are joined by Liverpool director Bob Eaton.

He said: "I'm excited that we've managed to assemble such an excellent cast, many of whom I have worked with before.

"I think audiences can look forward to an imaginative and entertaining production in which these eight actors show just how versatile they are."

A musical adaptation of the show had five hugely successful runs at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre. Rob Fennah said: "Twopence To Cross The Mersey is such a poignant true story and, although based in the 1930s, it tackles many scenarios people can still relate to today.

"It's the main reason why it has remained so popular."

Helen Forrester was born June Huband in Hoylake, the eldest of seven children.

After surviving the Blitzing of Liverpool and losing two consecutive fiancés to the Second World War she met and, in 1950, married Dr. Avadh Bhatia; her life with him in India provided background for Thursday's Child and The Moneylenders of Shahpur.

The couple travelled widely, eventually settling in Edmonton, Canada, in 1955. Helen died in November 2011.

Tickets for Twopence To Cross The Mersey's Floral Pavilion run are from 0151 666 0000 or www.floralpavilion.co.uk