Malory Towers, UK Tour (2026) Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Every child has an Enid Blyton phase, and thanks to a multitude of book series, most children dream of going to a boarding school one day. Blyton’s Malory Towers, an all-girl boarding school off the stormy Cornish coast, is the perfect encapsulation of these dreams. Emma Rice’s company has created a stunning adaptation of the Malory Towers book, which is a perfect slice of nostalgic wonder on stage.
The plot stays largely faithful to the original novel, though the characters are brought to life with more vivid and exaggerated personalities than on the page. Framed by a dream sequence at both the beginning and end, the story evokes Alice in Wonderland, creating a whimsical structure that captures the audience's attention from the opening moments and keeps them engaged until the very end.
We meet passionate Daryl Rivers (Robyn Sinclair), practical Sally Hope (Bethany Wooding), jokester Alicia Johns (Molly Cheesley), musical Irene Dupont (Stephanie Hockey), meek Mary Lou Atkinson (Eden Barrie) and troubled Gwendoline Lacy (Emily Paynes) on the train journey to Cornwall. Quickly, we find hockey sticks, theatrical escapades, swimming on the beach and stormy adventures over the course of a term in a wholesome and more child-friendly version of boarding school than St Trinians. These bright characters all have their ups and downs, with one socially sent to Coventry overnight by the others, and later we meet adventurous Bill (Zoe West), but they are all ambitious, strong and determined to focus on doing their best at school.
Read More: Interview with Molly Cheesley, Malory Towers UK Tour
This is a thoroughly impressive adaptation, and I was in awe of the cast’s excellent heartfelt chemistry and teamwork throughout. This was truly a wonderful ensemble cast and every actor and musician had an equal chance to shine. Throughout the entire show we only see the children on stage, with adults only showcased as a silhouette and recorded voice (Dame Sheila Hancock) which worked powerfully to centre the girl’s agency, independence and voice within the story. The themes of justice, friendship, kindness and compassion for yourself and others are beautifully rendered in a way which has the whole audience cheering along. Its handling of darker themes such as PTSD and post war Britain are shown in a child friendly and inclusive form.
The pacing of the story, at just over two hours running time including interval, works well for even the youngest and most fidgety of audience members. The pacing is even and light, thoroughly engaging for both children and adults and ending the first act on a literal cliffhanger so that everyone was eagerly in their seats early for the shorter second act.
Lez Brotherston’s set design works well to create the larger-than-life effect of Malory Towers on the girls, with ingenious use of Lyndie Wright’s puppets and hidden compartments to create the different scenes. The videography for key moments of the adventurous scenes and creating the atmospheric background was wonderful and deeply immersive. The sound and lighting design was wonderfully immersive and had the audience fully captivated throughout.
Overall, this is a beautifully magical production filled with playfulness, joy and the perfect amount of girl power. This is the perfect family show for both children and adults, and a must-see production for the summer. If you enjoy nostalgic and whimsical stories, fantastic cast, feel-good plots and a dash of wholesome magic in your life, then run to see this show as fast as you can.
Malory Towers is touring the UK until 2 August. Further information can be found by visiting Emma Rice Company’s website.
★★★★★
