The Railway Children

The first thing I noticed entering the hall was the creative seating layout, arranged around the large thrust stage, and a small toy train in spotlight, which featured several times in the story. The long walkway put the actors in the midst of the audience at times, and was essential in providing a delightfully dramatic end to act one.

This play is adapted by Mike Kenny, from the well-known book by E Nesbit, and puts the storytelling into the hands of three children, as they recount events from their perspective. While it is technically rather demanding for the actors switching from narrating the story to directly being within the action, they made it look effortless, with a lightness and humour that was quite remarkable.

All three adult actors being the children where excellent throughout, with an incredible amount of dialogue to deliver, and showed a real connection as siblings.  Jennifer Burchett shone as Bobbie, a confident natural leader while still naïve to the realities of the grown-up world, Silas Powell was sincere as Peter, earnest but too young yet to be the man of the house, and Marie-Louise Slater was adorable as Phyllis, the youngest sister often excited or confused, needing to be in the middle of the action. Casting the right people in these three roles is pivotal to the authenticity of the play, and I congratulate Director Joanna Gent, and Assistant Director Matthew Jones, for doing a grand job in using the talents of the cast to focus on the storytelling. The deference that the children show when speaking to adults was entirely appropriate to the period, and believable characterisation, not just words from the script.

Mother was played well by Katherine Tokley, with a good emotional range, showing the ‘buttoned up’ nature of the time, in keeping the hard truth of the family misfortune away from the children while still being a loving mother, and compassionate to those in need. She also had my favourite costume in the production. Kieran Lowe was super as Perks, he held a good Yorkshire accent throughout, and had some lovely dramatic moments with the children, notably the mining incident, and being convinced to accept his birthday presents. There was a strong cast of supporting roles with Alan Edwards as the elegantly dressed and well-spoken Old Gentleman, Abigail Hunt was very believable as Mrs Perks, and some ‘double up’ parts were successfully handled by Roger Saddington as Father / Doctor, and Ian Willingham as Butler / Mr Szezpansky / Jim. I felt that Mr Szezpansky may be straying towards comedic panto at times, but some of the audience obviously liked that, and he spoke french well, along with Mother and the Old Gentleman. Completing the line-up was Nanneen Lane as Cook / Mrs Viney, and Victoria McKay as Maid, I liked their quick-fire interjections in the opening narration.

The set and props were kept very simple, with a few well-placed period pieces, such as suitcases, newspapers, and the pram, though there was never any doubt as to the location and activities, that said perhaps a gate instead miming holding onto one when the children waved at the 9.15 train, though not necessary, would have been a lovely image on the stage.  The costumes were spot-on for every character, all suited the status and age of the person, with the shoes, hats, shawls, broaches, and gloves, correct for the early 1900s. The girls’ white ruffed Edwardian pinafores worn over their day dresses provided ample opportunity for Phyllis to twist her hands up in it, as a young child would.  The sepia style photos of the cast up on the board was a nice touch.

The sound and lighting were used sparingly, but to great effect. Particularly memorable for me was when the children, having ripped up their red flannel petti-coats, started waving them to try and stop the train and prevent it hitting the landslide - the peril went up a level with Bobbie stepping onto the lines, moving forward on the thrust stage, as the headlight of the approaching train grows bigger with an expanding spotlight – a moment of theatre magic. 

I’d like to thank the Front of House team for the lovely welcome, and am grateful for the time speaking with both the Director and Assistant Director. It was a brave move to go so basic, and it absolutely worked due to the Director’s creative choices and calibre of talent within this society.   

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