Sian Reeves, Parry Glasspool and Lucy Dixon Complete Cast For BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL Spring 2020 UK Tour

The final three cast members for the Spring 2020 UK Tour of Helen Forrester's By The Waters Of Liverpool have been revealed.

After a hugely successful premiere run at the Liverpool Empire Theatre last Autumn, the play will now make its way round the country bringing Helen's fascinating story to life on stage.

Star of stage and screen Sian Reeves is joining the tour. Sian is best known for her television roles in Emmerdale, Mount Pleasant, Still Open All Hours, Lunch Monkeys, Hope Springs, City Lights, Where The Heart Is, and Cutting It.

Hollyoaks' Parry Glasspool and Lucy Dixon, from Waterloo Road and Hollyoaks, join Sian to complete the cast.

The cast also includes the recently announced Mark Moraghan and Eric Potts.

Mark Moraghan will play Helen's Father. Mark previously played 'Father' in the 2007 and 2009 adaptations of Twopence To Cross The Mersey. He returned to play the role in By The Waters Of Liverpool in 2018. Mark is best known for his roles in Holby City, Coronation Street and Brookside.

Coronation Street and Doctor Who's Eric Potts will play 'Mr Ellis', Helen's fiery-tempered boss. Eric has also appeared in Peak Practice, Heartbeat, The Royal, Last Of The Summer Wine, and Steel River Blues.

Other confirmed cast members are Lynn Francis as the 'Deaconess'; Danny O'Brien as 'Harry O'Dwyer'; Chloe McDonald as 'Fiona' (Helen's sister); and Roy Carruthers as 'The Detective'.

By The Waters Of Liverpool is the stunning production from the team that brought you Helen Forrester's timeless story, Twopence To Cross The Mersey.

To celebrate what would have been Helen Forrester's 100th Birthday, the 11-week tour opens at New Brighton Floral Pavilion, in Wirral, from Tuesday 3 March to Sunday 8 March 2020 - just a few miles from where the writer was born.

The production will then travel to Stockport, Warrington, St Helens, Lancaster, Crewe, Southport, Rhyl, Swansea, Darlington and Malvern. The second leg of the tour will be announced shortly.

Sian Reeves will play Helen's Mother, Parry Glasspool will play Helen's brother Alan, while Helen Forrester will be portrayed by Lucy Dixon.

West Bromwich born Sian Reeves is an original cast member of the 1985 stage production of Les Misérables. She also later appeared in the 25th anniversary performance at London's O2.

Sian has already shared a stage with fellow cast member Mark Moraghan. They competed against each other on celebrity TV singing contest, Just The Two Of Us. Paired up with opera singer Russell Watson, Sian took the winning honours, while Mark was runner-up with Atomic Kitten's Natasha Hamilton. The pair will be reunited on stage as Helen Forrester's parents.

Sian Reeves commented: "I'm thrilled to be part of the telling of this wonderful book. I've been a fan of Helen Forrester for years, I've read nearly all her books - and I can't wait to help tell her story. It's also just fabulous to be teaming up with Mark Moraghan again."

Sian's television credits also include Casualty; Mountain Goats; Doctors; Holby City; Linda Green; Making Waves; Swallow; In A Land Of Plenty; Making Astronaughts; The Bill; Gypsy Girls; and Sum Of The Parts. Films include Time Of Their Lives; No Deposit No Return; Five Seconds To Spare; Love Bites; This Little Life; Sweet Night Good Heart; and Intimacy.

Theatre credits include Love Me Tender; It's A Family Affair; God Of Carnage; Misconception; Vernon God Little; Talk Of The City; The Merchant of Venice; The House Of Bernada Alba; The Case Of Rebellious Susan; Red Balloon; West Side Story; Kiss Me Kate; And Then There Were None; Pere Goriot; The Good Natured Man; and The Little Match Girl.

Parry Glasspool is best known for playing Harry Thompson in Hollyoaks. He was born and raised in the Midlands, before moving to London to study for his BA Hons in Acting for Stage and Media at the University of West London. After five years in Hollyoaks, Parry recently made a dramatic exit in a high-profile storyline when he was murdered.

Parry was nominated for Best Newcomer at the prestigious National Television Awards 2016 for his role in the Channel 4 soap. His character was first introduced to the show in Hollyoaks Later in 2013. Other television credits include Hollyoaks Later; Our Zoo; and film The Cutting Room. Theatre credits include Proud.

Parry commented: "After five amazing years on television, I'm excited to finally step onto a stage again. It'll be a shock to the system, playing five different characters, but I love a challenge - bring it on. I can't wait!"

Lucy Dixon, who hails from Greater Manchester, is widely known for her television roles as Danielle Harker in Waterloo Road and Tilly Evans in Hollyoaks. Lucy received a nomination for Best Actress at the TV Choice Awards 2012 for her portrayal of Tilly. The following year, she also featured on the longlist for Best Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards 2013.

Last year, Lucy took to the stage to play Catherine in Proof at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre. Her starring role as "shepherd number one" at an early age sparked her love for acting! She went on to train at The David Johnson and Vernon Acting Method.

Lucy added: "I am thrilled to be joining the cast of By The Waters Of Liverpool - and to be playing such a strong female role. I am particularly excited for my family to watch me following in Helen's footsteps, a story they have read and know well themselves. Liverpool has always felt like home to me, even more so now I live there, and I am so excited to welcome people of all ages to this heart-felt story."

Lucy's other TV credits include Birds Of A Feather; Casualty; Scott And Bailey; Endeavour; Hollyoaks Later; Waterloo Road Reunited; The Power of Poetry; Doctors; and short film Comedienne. Theatre credits include The Stretch; Proof; Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons; Merchant Of Venice; Rehearsal For Murder; The Girl From The Ward; Keeper; Aladdin; Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs; Lord Of The Flies; Lysistrata; Snoopy The Musical; The Rivals; Love On The Dole; Maria Marten; Sweet Charity; Sleeping Beauty The Musical; The Wiz; and Peter Pan.

The new touring production of By The Waters Of Liverpool is again produced by Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms and is directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

Writer and friend of Helen Forrester, Rob Fennah has written both the stage play versions of Twopence To Cross The Mersey and By The Waters Of Liverpool.

During the Great Depression, Helen's father lost his fortune when the stock market and the family were suddenly thrown into poverty. Leaving behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England, the Forrester's chose Liverpool as the place to start over. They were in for a terrible shock. Taken out of school to care for her younger brothers and sisters while her parents struggled to re-build their shattered lives, Helen is treated as an unpaid slave and desperate to escape.

By The Waters Of Liverpool is a period drama set in the 1930s. The story opens in 1935. Helen Forrester is 16-years-old, and fighting a bitter battle with her parents for the right to educate herself and go out to work. By 1939, Helen is now aged 20 and with Britain on the brink of war, she has never been kissed by a man. But things start looking up for Helen when she meets a tall strong seaman and falls in love.

By The Waters Of Liverpool by Helen Forrester has sold more than a million books. Now this is your chance to see it come to life in this exciting new stage play adaptation.

By The Waters Of Liverpool's Spring 2020 UK Tour opens at New Brighton Floral Pavilion from 3 March to 8 March 2020, before heading to the Stockport Plaza (10 March to 12 March); Warrington Parr Hall (14 March and 15 March); St Helens Theatre Royal (17 March to 21 March); Lancaster Grand (23 March and 24 March); Crewe Lyceum (25 March and 26 March); Southport Theatre (27 March and 28 March); Rhyl Pavilion Theatre (31 March to 4 April); Swansea Grand Theatre (6 April and 7 April); Darlington Hippodrome (9 April to 11 April); followed by Malvern Theatres (14 April and 15 April).

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