'I have to write. That's what I am. My sister Meg is beautiful, my sister Beth is good, my sister Amy is, well, she is what she is, but I'm the writer of the family.

What shall I do?'Christmas Eve, 1862. With their father away on the frontline of the American Civil War, the four March sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – journey into adulthood, each determined to pursue a life on their own terms.

But growing up means contending with love and loss, as well as the myriad twists of fortune that shape a life. Published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women was an immediate critical and commercial success, and remains one of the best-loved novels of all time. This joyful and spirited adaptation was first produced at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre in 2022, directed by Brigid Larmour.

An earlier version was staged at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, in 2011. It provides rich opportunities for any amateur company looking for an uplifting version of a classic story that's guaranteed to delight audiences.