Cast Revealed for Yorkshire Premiere of Richard Bean's To Have and To Hold

14 Mar 2025 | Press Release

Hull Truck Theatre are rounding up their ‘Made in Hull’ summer season with the staging of a regional premiere of poignant and bittersweet comedy-drama To Have and To Hold (Thursday 1 – Saturday 24 May). Written by renowned Yorkshire playwright Richard Bean (71 Coltman Street, The Hypocrite, One Man, Two Guvnors), and directed by multi award-winning writer and director Terry Johnson.

Set in the East Yorkshire village of Wetwang, this hilarious and touching play will explore the challenges of growing older and facing the realities of life’s later years. To Have and To Hold follows characters Jack and Florence who after sixty years of marriage, have perfected the fine art of bickering. But with the support of local wheeler dealer “Rhubarb Eddie” and cousin, Pamela, they’re muddling along just fine. But as their children arrive home to help them put their affairs in order, chaos descends. Family gripes are aired, and secrets are uncovered. Will Jack and Florence be left alone to live out the rest of their days in peace? Or do their children have other ideas?

Mark Babych, Artistic Director at Hull Truck Theatre, said:

“It’s a great thrill to be working with Richard Bean again on this regional premiere of his bittersweet comedy To Have and To Hold, directed by Terry Johnson. Both masters of comedy, I know audiences are in for a great night out and with a super stellar cast promising to be a hilarious evening of bittersweet delight.”

With a story that will resonate with many audiences, this hilarious comedy-drama will be brought vividly to life on stage in Hull with a star-studded cast.

Paula Wilcox will play the part of Florence. Known for her work in television, film, and theatre. Audiences may recognise her as Chrissy Plummer in the popular British 1970s sitcom Man About the House. Her comedic timing and charm made her a household name and cemented her place in British television history, also appearing in The Lovers, Miss Jones and Son, and The Queen’s Nose (1995–2001), where she played the mother, Audrey Parker.

Paula has also had an extensive stage career, performing in productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and other prestigious theatres. She has appeared in plays such as Great Expectations, The Importance of Being Earnest, and La Cage aux Folles.

Playing Jack (Florence’s husband) will be Ian Bartholomew - a multi-award-winning actor, singer, and musician. He recently received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of serial abuser Geoff Metcalfe in Coronation Street, earning multiple awards, including Best Actor and Best Villain at the Inside Soap Awards.

A seasoned performer in musicals and comedy, Ian has received Olivier nominations for Half A Sixpence, Mrs Henderson Presents, Into the Woods, and Radio Times. He won a Manchester Evening News Award for his performance as Doolittle in Pygmalion at the Royal Exchange.

The part of Rob (Jack and Florence’s son) will be played by Stephen Tompkinson, alongside Rebecca Johnson who will play their daughter, Tina.

Stephen Tompkinson is best known for starring in the title role in DCI Banks (ITV). Stephen’s other leading television roles include Ballykissangel, The Split, Truckers and Wild at Heart. Stephen also starred in Drop The Dead Donkey for which he won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actor, as well as in the acclaimed comedy-drama Brassed Off. Theatre credits include: Educating Rita (UK tour); A Christmas Carol (Old Vic); Art (West End, UK Tour); Monty Python’s Spamalot (West End); Love’s Labour’s Lost and The Revenge Tragedy (Royal Exchange); Charley’s Aunt (Theatre Royal Bath, Tour); Arsenic and Old Lace (Strand Theatre); Faith and Cold Reading (Live Theatre); as well as UK tours of Tartuffe, Sign of the Times and The Red Lion.

Rebecca Johnson trained at LAMDA and has a 30+ year career across stage and screen. Most notably she appeared as Rob Brydon’s wife Sally in The Trip series, directed by Michael Winterbottom. With many screen credits, some highlights include: Miss Austen, Geek Girl, Silent Witness, Call the Midwife, Three Families, Casualty, and Fleabag. Theatre includes: Coram Boy, Mourning Becomes Electra, Edmond, Peter Pan (National Theatre); The Dog In The Manger, House of Desires, Pedro The Great Pretender, Tamar’s Revenge, Wendy and Peter Pan (RSC); The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Jane Eyre (Playhouse, West End); The Front Page (Donmar Warehouse); The Real Thing, Present Laughter, This Happy Breed (Bath Theatre Royal); All Our Children (Jermyn Street Theatre); Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, What the Butler Saw (Sheffield Theatres) and many more.

Adrian Hood, a Hull Truck Theatre favourite, will once again return to play the local wheeler dealer “Rhubarb Eddie”. Appearing at Hull Truck Theatre since 1988, including Richard Bean’s 71 Coltman Street, this is Adrian’s seventh Richard Bean play, including the original London production of To Have and To Hold. Other work includes productions in, or for, the West End, (Royal Court, Shakespeare's Globe, National Theatre, RSC, Off Broadway and Scunthorpe). Also, TV series for BBC, ITV, CH4, CH5 and various Films.

Completing this fantastic cast will be Sara Beharrell as the cousin Pamela. Most recognisable to local audiences as playing Linda in the Hull Truck Theatre production of Ladies Unleashed, Sara studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Other Theatre credits include The Player Kings (Noel Coward Theatre), Honeymoon Suite (Royal Cour), The Crucible (Birmingham Rep/National Tour), Hay Fever (Theatre Clwyd), Goodnight MrTom, Little Women & Frost Hollow Hall (East Riding Theatre). Television credits include Better, He Knew He Was Right (BBC) & London’s Burning (ITV).

Richard Bean’s uproarious new comedy premiered in London’s West End at The Hampstead Theatre in October and November 2023. Audiences will now be able to see the play newly cast for it’s Yorkshire Premiere.

Tickets for To Have and To Hold are available now and can be purchased online via To Have and To Hold | HullTruckTheatre or by calling the Box Office on 01482 323638.  Recommended age guidance: 14+. A number of access performances are also available.