Jack Ashton, one of the stars of hit BBC TV series Call the Midwife, has joined the cast of York Theatre Royal’s production of Little Women.
He will play two roles, Professor Bhaer and John Brooke, love interests for Jo and Meg, in the production which opens the theatre’s autumn season from September 21 to October 12.
Jack previously appeared at York Theatre Royal in The Guinea Pig Club, Twelfth Night, The Homecoming, End of Desire and Escaping Alice. His other theatre credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (Donmar Warehouse) and Strangers on a Train (national tour).
Jack is best known for his Call the Midwife role as the Rev Tom Hereward. Other TV credits include Endeavour and Waterloo Road. Last year he joined the cast of Radio 4’s The Archers as Harry Chilcott. He also starred in the 2017 film Instrument of War, playing an American pilot shot down and imprisoned during the Second World War.
Juliet Forster (Around the World In 80 Days-ish!, Sovereign, A View from the Bridge, Sense and Sensibility) directs Anne-Marie Casey’s adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s classic coming-of-age novel which puts a fresh take on the story of headstrong Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth and Amy growing up in New England during the American Civil War.
Juliet, who is Creative Director at York Theatre Royal said: “We are thrilled to be staging an adaptation of such a much-loved classic. Louisa May Alcott’s story of Jo and her sisters finding their way in the world is so relatable to modern audiences and Anne-Marie Casey’s brilliant adaptation really brings to life the wonderful characters.”
Playing Marmee is Yorkshire actress Kate Hampson who returns to York Theatre Royal after taking the title role in the community production The Coppergate Woman in 2022. Other stage roles include Mother/Mrs Perks in The Railway Children at Hull Truck Theatre, while her TV appearances include ITV’s The Bay.
Freya Parks, who recently starred in the BBC TV series This Town and Here We Go, plays headstrong Jo March with Ainy Medina (Meg), Helen Chong (Amy) and Laura Soper (Beth) as her sisters. Laura is a former member of York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre who previously appeared on the theatre’s main stage in Swallows and Amazons and Hetty Feather.
Completing the cast are Nikhil Singh Rai (Laurie) and Caroline Gruber (Aunt March), previously seen in The Machine Stops in York Theatre Royal Studio.
Little Women can be seen at York Theatre Royal from September 21 to October 12.
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