“I’ve just seen Tom Sawyer,” pipes up my nine-year old companion, as we both see a number of young characters circulating around the auditorium. Although it’s not Tom Sawyer himself that has been spotted, a group of young people make their way over to us and start a conversation that begins to draw us into the world of the play. Although I decline the offer to swap my phone for a much treasured frog, my companion and I very much appreciate the ability that these young cast members show in conversing and improvising with the audience. 

The stage is framed by a fence at the back with space behind it for cast members to enter and exit. The actors in this space are often silhouetted with lighting (designed by Jane Hakaraia) that draws us into the world of the play and always enhances the action. The play proper begins with the young cast members (the children’s chorus, played by Team Tom at this particular performance) addressing us directly and filling us in on some necessary information about the time and location of the play. They bring great energy to their roles and enter into the action on stage with confidence.

The stage is filled with life as the play begins, and it’s almost hard to know where to look. There are interesting events happening in all corners of the stage and each character is an individual. Tom Sawyer (played with irresistible energy and charm by Tim Earl) explodes onto the stage and into the story, bringing Sid (Maxwell Apse), Mary (Bella Russell) and Aunt Polly (Gaby Solomona) with him. We are rapidly and effectively introduced to Tom’s lifestyle and mischievous personality, with the action moving along at a great pace. Earl’s performance is pitched perfectly and holds the show together, while also allowing other characters to shine. 

This is a true ensemble performance, with all the performers engaged in making the story fully live on the stage. The chorus carries out scene changes with speed and accuracy, and creates locations – from fences requiring whitewashing to a graveyard and the great river itself – and atmosphere throughout the show. The performers always remain focused and add substance and fun to the show.

In adapting Mark Twain’s story, playwright Mike Hudson has created a show that moves at a lively pace and tells its stories with great craft and affection. The darker sections of the story are left intact, leaving my young companion surprised to see a crime take place on stage, and admitting to being a little scared of Jackson Bliss-McCauley’s Injun Joe. It is good to see such a fully realised version of Tom’s world, where sorrow can follow very quickly after joy. 

Bliss-McCauley cuts a menacing figure throughout the show, and his actions are very effective in making us worry for Tom, and feel immensely sorry for Muff Potter (Felix Becroft), who both suffer at his hands. Becroft evokes great sympathy when trapped in a situation he sees no way out of, and this is indicative of the way the show is able to deliver both laughs and pathos in equal measure.

Gaby Solomona as Aunt Polly also effectively treads the fine line between showing us genuine emotion and making us laugh at her exasperation with Tom’s antics.

The sections where we see the joy that Tom and his friends Huckleberry Finn (Evan Fennamor) and Joe Harper (Blaise Clotworthy) take in their surroundings are wonderfully realised. Both Fennamor and Clotworthy bring child-like joy to their characters, convincing us that they fully belong in this world. We are drawn to the innocence and interest that they show and see the wonder of their world through their eyes.

The other young adult chorus members also support the trio of Tom, Huck and Joe with lively and committed performances. My companion finds the scenes between Tom and Becky so realistic that he pretends to gag, which I believe is a very high compliment from a nine-year-old! 

This is a very well-crafted and engaging show, and audience members of all ages enjoy it. Director Margaret-Mary Hollins draws effective and engaging performances from her cast. I particularly enjoy the ensemble work, and the way the cast is used to create quick-fire changes of location and mood. The cast is able to fully inhabit their world, and their energy at the end of the show is infectious. 

My companion gives the show 4.5 out of 5, only deducting .5 due to the fact that he didn’t like the fact that the fence at the back of the stage didn’t ever disappear! He is delighted with the world he has been introduced to and claims Tom as his favourite character. I think his responses are spot on.  I leave the show feeling uplifted by the way the cast has brought this show to life. My companion is very keen to recommend the show to his friends and I recommend it too. 

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Miss six and Miss five sit cross-legged in their seats, elbows on knees, chins in their hands, leaning forward often deferring to one another about what’s going on in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

For the most part, they are enchanted by the genteel production adapted by playwright Mike Hudson from Mark Twain’s 1876 novel and directed by Margaret-Mary Hollins.  

Tellingly, my young “assistants” note the number of people on stage (around 22 aged 9 – 29 enthusiastically led by Tim Earl as Tom Sawyer), saying they don’t often see shows with this many. [More] 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer