84 Charing Cross Road
by James Roose Evans
A tender and heart-warming tale of transatlantic friendship, 84 Charing Cross Road is a bittersweet comedy based on the extraordinary true story of the remarkable relationship that developed over 20 years between a vivacious New York writer and a London bookseller. Through their exchange of humorous and often intimate correspondence a snapshot of Britain from the post-war 1940s to the swinging 60s is revealed, alongside a touching human story that still resonates today. A love story about good literature, between Helen and Frank
Helen Hanff is a struggling writer in New York who first writes to Marks & Co an antiquarian book store in London, Frank Doel is a delightfully dusty supplier of so many old volumes to Helen who shows her gratitude by sending “care packages”.
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Cast & Crew
Helene Hanff …..Tracey Rontree
Frank Doel ………..Simon Wood
Megan Wells/Maxine Stuart
Verity Mann
Cecily Farr …… Laura Rothwell
Mr. Martin ….Keith Begley
William Humphries (Bill) …..Colin Watt
Joan Todd (Mrs) ….. Patricia Redshaw
Young girl….. Chloe Whatmoug
Director……………………………………………………………..Melvyn Bates
Set design …………………………………………………………Melvyn Bates,
Set construction …………….. Keith Begley, Mike Clegg, Colin Watt,
……………………………………………………….Verity Mann, Melvyn Bates
Stage manager ………………………………………………………..Colin Watt
Lighting & sound ……………………………………………..David Plowright
Costume …..Jackie Mackey, Jan Peel,Cath Bingley, Verity Mann
Props …………………….Ali Oxborrow, Siobhan Ebden, Carol Davies
Prompt …………………………………………………………………. Dot Hynes
Director’s notes
This wonderful play is a dramatisation of business letters between a struggling female script writer and an antiquarian book store in London. In a sense, these are also love letters. They are about the love of good literature. The play takes place over a 20 year period,
beginning in 1949, when Helene Han first writes to Marks & Co and ends in 1969. Credits for this play when it was first staged in New York and London are as follows:
New York Daily Times – An evening of enchantment a
nd charm, the like of which is rarely encountered in the theatre.
What’s on in London – Charming. A gentle touching hands across the sea chronicle. Sentimental in the best sense of the word.
We do so much hope that you agree with these critics. Sit back and enjoy 84 Charing Cross Road.