Daisy Pulls It Off Anew in West End at Arts, 21 Jan

A new production of Denise Deegan’s girls’ school comedy Daisy Pulls It Off will transfer to the West End’s Arts Theatre for a brief run from 21 January to 6 February 2010 (previews from 19 January).

Set in 1927, the comedy explores class struggles and coming-of-age pangs, as it follows the trials and tribulations of young Daisy Meredith. The girl from a working class family has won a scholarship to Grangewood School for girls but has to battle against her upper-crust peers to stay in the school and on the hockey team.

Daisy Pulls It Off was first seen in the West End in 1982, when it ran at the Gielgud Theatre for three years, ahead of a two-year UK regional tour. A 2002 revival produced by the Really Useful Group reunited the original creative team – led by director David Gilmore – but lasted for only seven weeks at the Lyric Theatre.

The new production is directed by Nadine Hanwell and presented by her own theatre company, Nadine’s Window Theatre Company. The cast is led by Lucy Austin as Daisy.

Ahead of Daisy Pulls It Off at the Arts Theatre, Gareth Hale stars as Scrooge in Susie McKenna and Steve Edis’ adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, from 25 November 2009 (previews from 11 November) to 10 January 2010 (See News, 12 Aug 2009).