Carrie's War

This show has now closed, click here for a listing of current and future London shows

Previewed 18 June 2009, opened 24 June 2009, closed 12 September 2009 Apollo Theatre in London

A stage adaptation of Nina Bawden's novel Carrie's War in London starring Prunella Scales and Kacey Ainsworth.

"Ceaslessly involving - a cracking story" The London Evening Standard

Carrie Willow and her brother Nick are evacuees transported from London to the safety of the countryside in the 1940s. There they stay with mean Mr Evans; but there's also kind Auntie Lou, and Mr Johnny, who speaks his own language, and Hepzibah, the witch at Druid's Grove who makes a perfect apple pie, and young Albert Sandwich, who kisses Carrie on her twelfth birthday. And then there's the ancient skull with its terrifying curse...

"Captures vividly a life-changing lesson in loyalty, romantic awakening, fear, myth and magic. Good stuff" The Sunday Times

Carrie's War in London is adapted from the Nina Bawden novel by Emma Reeves, directed by Andrew Loudon and presented by Novel Theatre. The cast features Prunella Scales as 'Mrs Gotobed' and Sarah Edwardson as 'Carrie' with Kacey Ainsworth as 'Auntie Lou', James Beddard as 'Mr Johnny', John Heffernan as 'Albert Sandwich', James Joyce as 'Nick', Daniel Llewellyn-Williams as 'Major Cass Harper', Sion Tudor Owen as 'Mr Evans' and Amanda Symonds as 'Hepzibah Green' (Casting subject to change).

The production of Carrie's War in London at the Apollo Theatre was previously presented by Novel Theatre at Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Theatre for two short season. Novel Theatre presented the stage adaptation of Little Women at the West End's Duchess Theatre in October 2004.

This production presented by Novel Theatre of Carrie's War in London at the Apollo Theatre is adapted and directed by the same creative team behind Little Women which was seen at The Lilian Baylis Theatre in 2002 and subsequently in London's West End at The Duchess Theatre, and Anne of Green Gables which was also staged at Sadler's Wells Lillian Baylis Theatre Christmas 2004. Prior to this London West End run, Novel Theatre presented Carrie's War at Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Theatre for two short season.

Please Note: Carrie's War is suitable for adults and young people aged seven and over.

"Much London theatre is 'bold' and 'groundbreaking'. It is therefore rather startling truly refreshing to encounter a company which tries clear, old-fashioned, stumpy-legged storytelling. That is what happens with this unjazzy, likeable production of Carrie's War, the elegiac Nina Bawden novel about Second World War child evacuees who find themselves in a narrow valley in Wales. Andrew Loudon's direction is resolutely unhip... Carrie's War is perfect for a comfortable family Christmas outing." The Daily Mail

"Inspired by her own experiences of evacuation, Nina Bawden's novel is one of the great classics of evacuee children's literature... Bawden mixes myth and reality to tell a coming-of- age tale about the childhood acts that haunt us for the rest of our lives. Novel Theatre has had previous page-to-stage experience with Little Women and Anne of Green Gables, and the company deliver another faithful if stodgy account of a great children's book. There is nothing startlingly wrong with it, but there is nothing theatrically exciting, either... This is a show that spells everything out and leaves very little to the imagination." The Guardian

Carrie's War in London at the Apollo Theatre previews from 18 June 2009, opens 24 June 2009 and closes 12 September 2009.