Transatlantic friendship

Burgess Hill Theatre Club bring to the stage the true story of a transatlantic business correspondence about used books that developed into a close friendship (The Theatre, Upper Church Walk, Burgess Hill, April 14-16).

In 1949, a struggling American writer, Helene Hanff, sees an ad in The Saturday Review of Literature for a bookstore in London that does mail order. She writes hoping to indulge her love of beautiful books and begins a very special correspondence and friendship with Frank Doel that lasts 20 years.

Frank, a British antiquarian book-seller, works at Marks & Co, 84 Charing Cross Road. Their warm and compassionate exchange of letters was published as a book and then adapted for the stage.

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The cast is Carolyn Chinn - Helene Hanff; John O’Connor - Frank Doel; Greg Sherman - William Humphries; Cherry Woodhouse - Cecily Farr; Nicki Plank - Megan Wells; Samantha Payne - Maxine Stuart; Wendy Ironmonger - Joan Todd; and Chris Smith - Mr Martin.

Tickets on 01444 242984.