“The Great house of Willoughby Chase is surrounded by trees The forest stretches in all directions before and behind… And from the trees that line the riverbank Watch hundreds of pairs of hungry eyes” (Act 1)
Set in England in 1832, in the imaginary reign of King James III, Bonnie and her orphaned cousin Sylvia are threatened by wicked wolves and a grim governess as they await the return of Bonnie’s parents from an ocean voyage. Whilst loyal James, the family servant, and the mysterious wild goose-boy Simon try to look after the girls, the evil Miss Slighcarp, with her accomplice Mr. Grimshaw, pursue their wicked plans to take over Willoughby Chase, embezzle the family fortunes and banish the two girls to a forbidding school in Blastburn run by Mrs Brisket.
This classic story by Joan Aiken has delighted children and adults alike since 1962. Now adapted for the stage by local playwright Russ Tunney, this fast-paced play is brought to the stage by the talented Next Stage Youth Theatre Company. Directed in thrust by Ann Ellison BEM and using imaginative projection to create the world of Willoughby Chase, this promises to be a hugely entertaining piece of theatre for all the family.
