HAVING premiered to great acclaim in Dorchester at the start of the year, Angel Exit theatre company is bringing their adaptation of The Secret Garden to Weymouth College tonight.

The story is a classic children’s tale, 100 years old, about spoilt little Mary Lennox who is taken from opulent India to cold, bleak Yorkshire when her parents die.

As Mary battles loneliness she encounters locked doors, a curious robin, hidden keys, and strange cries ringing down the corridor. What happens next will transform her life for the better, as well as the lives of those around her.

Angel Exit’s artistic director Tamsin Fessey said: “It is the biggest show we have done so far, in the fact that we are working with more people and have a lighting designer this time and puppetry made by Polly Beeston, who lives in London.

“Our venues range from village halls to large places like the Buxton Opera House and the set is designed to expand or concertina into the space.”

She added: “There is a theory that The Secret Garden is a children’s version of Jane Eyre, with a sick person locked away, the bleak house in Yorkshire and the story of an orphan girl who finds her way.”

Ashleigh Cheadle, who studied at the central School of Speech and Drama in London, will play the part of Mary Lennox, Simon Jones plays Colin, the crippled cousin befriended by Mary despite his angry behaviour, and Henry Douthwaite plays Ben Weatherstaff the gardener and Archibald Craven, Mary’s uncle and Colin’s father.

The role of Mary’s best friend Dickon, who helps her transform the mysterious garden she finds, is taken by Matt Mackintosh.

Costumes have been designed and made by students at Bournemouth Arts University College as part of their final year project.

Tamsin said: “The cast is fabulous – like the characters they play.

“Ashleigh looks very young so she is perfect for the role of Mary and as soon as we saw Matt we knew he was right for the part of Dickon.

“It has been interesting writing the part of Colin because in the book he is in a wheelchair but we didn’t want to do that. Instead, we have him suffering from some sort of Munchausen’s syndrome, where he thinks he is ill because people have told him he ill. So it is an interesting parallel between him finding strength from the garden, whereas the gardener Ben has a genuine illness with his rheumatism that the garden can’t help.”

She added: “It is lovely to be able to perform the show during the book’s centenary.”

Today’s performance at the Bay Theatre will begin at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 plus concessions and are available from the box office on 01305 208702.