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Vanessa

Goodnight Mister Tom: A Yearful of London Week 6


Knowing that the novel Go​​odnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian was a childhood favourite - not to mention the TV Movie starring hero John Thaw - my gorgeous fiancé got me tickets to see the theatre production as a Christmas present.

Well done fiancé! Very little hinting required. I think I'll marry you.

Goodnight Mister Tom

I remembered crying my way through the beautiful war-time story when I was little, both in my well-thumbed copy of the Puffin Modern Classic, and when watching Inspector Morse taking on a bearded role outside Oxford.

But in order not to spoil this theatre treat, I avoided them both like the plague in the run-up to our performance at the Duke of York Theatre in the West End last week.

As I've got older I've found film, theatre and books an outlet for really letting go on the emotional front.

There have been the usuals: About Time - I cried on the way home, reliving the sad bits; A Theory of Everything - made the man jump in front of me for sobbing out loud; Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - nice lady next to Josh on the plane to Budapest had to give me her hanky to quash the wimpers in the final pages.

Then the less expected: Guardians of the Galaxay was a real tear-jerker (panda eyes got a whole new meaning), The Amazing Spiderman II got me bawling in the opening credits and then there's the KFC advert that comes on before every performance at our local independent cinema (the Shortwave) that guarantees a Caino weep.

But Goodnight Mr Tom at the theatre. HEAVEN HELP ME.

It was tender, heartbreaking, stunningly beautiful, so so sad but uplifting. Needless to say, I cried from start to finish.

It tells the story of so many people who are lost. A recluse who after losing his wife and son, became completely lost from society (and happiness). A little boy who has lost his place in the world after being born into a very difficult family. A mother who has lost the notion of right and wrong.

I don't want to say much more because it's only on until the 20th February 2016 and I urge you to get a ticket and weep for yourself.

As part of A Yearful of London, I'll be visiting a London attraction every week. Let me know if you've got any suggestions. Comment below or send us an email.

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