The Railway Children

This stage adaptation of the story of a children’s novel about a family having to relocate north in reduced circumstances was brought to life by this talented group of players. The Edwardian era and its mores of children being kept in the dark about the reason for the move, literally and metaphorically, was clear in the behaviours of the characters, the costumes and settings. Along with the props of railway lights, sign and old suitcases, the stage scaffolding built to resemble a railway bridge worked well for the children to wave from at the passing trains with results so important in the course of the story. The youngsters were cleverly presented, first bringing on three children who were then segued into the children of the family all of whom entered into the mannerisms and behaviours of the young, making them believable. Helen Whyte as Bobbie the eldest child was the linchpin, holding her siblings together and trying to make something of their new, lives - waving at the trains, befriending the railwayman Perks, celebrating his birthday, saving the train from disaster, dealing maturely with the old newspaper cutting and enabling the Old Gentleman to make a difference to their circumstances. This was heart rending stuff. As the son Peter, middle child of the three, Duncan Lindsay caught the impetuosity of youth, the Victorian superiority of boys over girls, and the boyish enthusiasm for trains starting with the little train toy that was so symbolic to the story. His persona was aided by the skilful use of his cap. The warmth, humour and deprecation of the third child Phyllis, who was always trying to catch up on the rest, were marvellously channelled by Lindsey Mullin with her timing and determination to keep trying. As their mother, Gilly Duncan gave us the reserved, dignified and determined adult trying to provide for and protect her family. David Todd as the father who ‘disappeared’ was the victim of a dreadful error. Outside the family, in the wonderful role of Perks the railway guard, Ian Stewart engaged with his broad Yorkshire accent and a mixture of kindness, self-deprecation and pride; Carol Sutherland with her delivery and facial expressions, demonstrated the differences in character, class and attitudes in her two roles of Cook and Mrs Viney; and Keith Hewitt gave us the quiet but effective solver of problems in the Old Gentleman. All the cast inhabited their roles bringing home the cruelty of fate and the value of community. This was a story well told, with pathos and gentle humour, resulting in a heart-warming experience where wrongs were righted in the end. Congratulations to all.

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