Malory Towers
Last night, I attended the press night performance of Malory Towers, currently showing at Theatre Royal Bath ahead of its UK tour. Set against the rugged Cornish coast, Malory Towers follows the lives of the girls attending a spirited boarding school where friendships, rivalries and growing pains unfold in equal measure. Enid Blyton wrote the original six novels between 1946 and 1951, charting the journey of heroine Darrell Rivers from an uncertain first-form pupil to eventual head girl. Yet Darrell’s time at Malory Towers is far from straightforward, as she and her friends navigate clashes, adventures and the many challenges of growing up within the school’s lively and ever-changing world.
Bursting with mischief, melodrama and infectious energy, the production is a fun celebration of schoolgirl friendship and adventure, all underscored by sensational live music. In this vibrant new adaptation, Emma Rice brings Enid Blyton’s beloved stories to life with warmth, wit and theatrical flair.
Visually, the production uses projections and video sparingly but effectively with a large upstage screen that helps to playfully shift the audience between the modern world and the late-1940s boarding school.
Bursting with mischief, melodrama and infectious energy, the production is a fun celebration of schoolgirl friendship and adventure, all underscored by sensational live music. In this vibrant new adaptation, Emma Rice brings Enid Blyton’s beloved stories to life with warmth, wit and theatrical flair.
Visually, the production uses projections and video sparingly but effectively with a large upstage screen that helps to playfully shift the audience between the modern world and the late-1940s boarding school.
Production photos by Steve Tanner
At the heart of the story is Darrell Rivers, arriving at boarding school with fierce determination and an impulsive temper that often gets the better of her. As she navigates new friendships and rivalries, from the exasperating Gwendoline Lacey to the gentle and loyal Sally Hope, Darrell must learn lessons in compassion, courage and resilience. Along the way, there are school plays to save, storms to brave, and plenty of spirited chaos within the walls of Malory Towers itself.
Throughout the show, Simon Baker’s sound design shifts beautifully between realistic effects and something more dreamlike, from crashing waves and howling wind to school bells, backstage commotion, and music woven through the scenes. It all helps draw the audience into Darrell’s world emotionally, making you feel part of her experiences rather than just watching them from the outside.
The production is elevated further by a fantastic ensemble cast, whose performances are all consistently lively, charismatic and wonderfully entertaining throughout. Every cast member brings warmth, humour and infectious energy to the stage, while also showcasing impressive musical talent in the production’s many live musical moments. And I especially enjoyed the use of projections during scenes involving Miss Grayling, the headmistress who appears as a silhouetted projected figure voiced by Sheila Hancock.
The sense of camaraderie between the performers feels genuine, capturing both the chaos and charm of boarding school life with remarkable ease. Special mention must go to Stephenie Hockley as Irene Dupont, whose lively performance and excellent comedic timing brought many of the evening’s biggest laughs, and to Robyn Sinclair, who was thoroughly engaging as Darrell Rivers, capturing both the character’s determination and vulnerability with great warmth.
Throughout the show, Simon Baker’s sound design shifts beautifully between realistic effects and something more dreamlike, from crashing waves and howling wind to school bells, backstage commotion, and music woven through the scenes. It all helps draw the audience into Darrell’s world emotionally, making you feel part of her experiences rather than just watching them from the outside.
The production is elevated further by a fantastic ensemble cast, whose performances are all consistently lively, charismatic and wonderfully entertaining throughout. Every cast member brings warmth, humour and infectious energy to the stage, while also showcasing impressive musical talent in the production’s many live musical moments. And I especially enjoyed the use of projections during scenes involving Miss Grayling, the headmistress who appears as a silhouetted projected figure voiced by Sheila Hancock.
The sense of camaraderie between the performers feels genuine, capturing both the chaos and charm of boarding school life with remarkable ease. Special mention must go to Stephenie Hockley as Irene Dupont, whose lively performance and excellent comedic timing brought many of the evening’s biggest laughs, and to Robyn Sinclair, who was thoroughly engaging as Darrell Rivers, capturing both the character’s determination and vulnerability with great warmth.
Production photos by Steve Tanner
Nostalgic yet refreshingly modern, Malory Towers captures the enduring appeal of Blyton’s original stories while celebrating friendship, individuality and youthful independence. Joyful, witty and full of heart, this is a production that will delight audiences of all ages, whether you grew up with Enid Blyton’s stories or are just now discovering them for the first time.
As the show enters its final few days at Theatre Royal Bath, I would highly recommend catching this vibrant and thoroughly entertaining production while you still can!
As the show enters its final few days at Theatre Royal Bath, I would highly recommend catching this vibrant and thoroughly entertaining production while you still can!