A WIRRAL actor is among the cast of a play based on work by the author Helen Forrester that is going on a national tour.
Joe Owens plays Forrester's brother Alan in In The Waters Of Liverpool, which tells the captivating life story of the best-selling author who was born in Hoylake in 1919.
A former student of St John Plessington Catholic College in Bebington and graduate of Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, Joe, 23, from Upton, is among a cast of nine that will play more than 50 characters between them during the production.
He told the Globe: "It's the first time I've been involved with a production like this and it has been a real learning curve, because of the number of parts I have had to learn. I play four parts in the show.
"But it's a fantastic production with a great cast.
"The play is about people coming together in times of adversity, to help others. The family goes through a tough time.
"It's a story that could apply to any of us at any time and is a powerful piece of drama, so be ready for a rollercoaster of emotions - be ready to laugh and cry. Come along and join us for the journey."
The stage play, based on Forrester's million-selling book, features a host of famous faces, including former Coronation Street star Tom Roberts and Emmerdale's Joe Gill.
Joe's theatre credits include Dogs directed by Nathan Powell; Love’s Labour’s Lost directed by Conor Wray and Posh directed by Francesca Goodridge.
Joe said: "Being so young and at the start of my career, I had major imposter syndrome when I turned up at the rehearsal room and saw the other cast members.
"The people I'm working with have had such amazing careers and here I am, starting out really.
"Emma (Mulligan), the actress playing Helen is incredible in the role. I'm just happy and grateful to be part of it."
The tour, produced by Rob Fennah and Bill Elms, opened at 'The Auditorium’ at M&S Bank Arena on Monday (September 4) and is there until tomorrow (Wednesday, September 6).
It heads to Wirral next week for three nights at The Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight, from Tuesday, September 12 – Thursday, September 14. Tickets here
The production will also visit venues in Crewe, Coventry, Sale, Rhyl, Darlington, Lichfield, St Helens, Southport, Halifax, and Lytham.
The tour concludes on Wirral with six days at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton from October 24 to 29 – just a few miles from where Forrester was born in Hoylake. Tickets here
The show's writer and producer Rob Fennah had a long friendship with Forrester since adapting her first book Twopence To Cross The Mersey into a stage musical in 1994.
It premiered at the Liverpool Empire Theatre and the writer travelled from her home in Edmonton, Canada, to see first-hand her story brought to life on stage.
Rob later went on to develop Twopence into a straight play which has toured successfully since its first outing in 2015. Since the author’s death in 2011, Rob has remained friends with her son Robert Bhatia. The productions are fully endorsed by the Helen Forrester Estate.
Joe added: "Rob Fennah and Bill Elms are, as far as I'm, concerned, the dynamic duo of local theatre.
"This is my first time working with Rob, he is a real fountain of knowledge on Helen Forrester."
This will be the only chance fans will have to experience the new production live on stage as the team recently announced that this play and the earlier production, Twopence To Cross The Mersey, will no longer tour.
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