READING Louisa M Alcott's novels as a child, I'm sure I wasn't alone in giving her characters English accents in my head, regardless of the book's New England base.

Thus, when all of Theatreworks' performers, save one, speak with such bad American accents, it really does pall.

Nevertheless, Lydia Cotton's Jo March lights up the stage, with great comedic timing and not quite too much saccharine emotion.

Alice Parsloe's lovable Beth is also right on the nail, while Felicity Brooks' Amy is detestable, but seeing as I wasn't a fan in the book, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt that that is her aim.

Casualty's Catherine Shipton gives a surprisingly average turn as Marmee, but the fact that I welled up in all the right places proves that as a whole, they're definitely getting something right.