The writer of a stage play based on the best-selling book Twopence to Cross the Mersey has revealed a remarkable Hoylake connection between him and its celebrated author Helen Forrester.
Wirral writer and musician Rob Fennah met Helen when she visited her Hoylake home town to discuss the stage adaptation.
Rob recalled: “We met for a coffee at the Kings Gap Hotel, and had a great conversation about her life and memories. She then asked if I would like to see the Hoylake house where her grandmother had lived – the house she needed twopence to cross the Mersey to visit as a child.
“We walked round to Warren Road and she showed me the house. I really couldn’t believe my eyes!”
When he had got over his surprise, Rob told her: “You won’t believe this, but when I was a kid I had a paper round in Hoylake, and I used to deliver newspapers to that house.”
Helen Forrester was the pen name of June Huband, who died in Canada at the age of 92 in 2011. ‘Twopence to Cross the Mersey’ tells the story of how Helen’s middle class family hit hard times after her parents were declared bankrupt, and moved to Depression-hit Liverpool as her father desperately sought work.
Helen, 11, was kept out of school and had to carry much of the burden of looking after her six younger brothers and sisters, before eventually rebelling enough to be allowed to go to evening school and start the education that would change her life, at the age of 14.
Her grim but ultimately uplifting story was first brought to the stage as a musical by Rob and his brother Alan Fennah, who formed the popular Wirral band Alternative Radio, in 1994, with Helen attending the premiere at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre.
Now Rob has adapted the show as a straight stage play, which is about to embark on its second north west tour after a successful first season in 2015.
It begins a new three week run at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre on September 20, before touring to Rhyl (October 12-15), Preston (October 19-22), Southport (October 24-27), Warrington (October 28-29), Stockport (November 1-4) and St Helens (November 7-12).
“It’s a story that continues to inspire audiences,” said Rob. “Helen gave us her blessing, and she loved the show when she saw it, which was a huge relief!”
He is now working on a stage adaptation of another of Helen’s autobiographical works, By the Waters of Liverpool, which takes her story into her 20s, and her Second World War experiences in Bootle.
You can find out more about Twopence to Cross the Mersey and book tickets here
