This new musical by Julian Woolford and Richard John the events of three children over one summer when they have to move to the country as their father is wrongfully arrested. It  features heartfelt ballads, stirring choral numbers and tuneful melodies.

Our cast of 47 (and our audiences!) really enjoyed this show which has something for everyone.

Photos

from the technical rehearsal. Click on a thumbnail to see the full picture

Photographs courtesy of Bill Penny
(except photographs 4, 10, 14, 19 and 22 from Boot Ellis)

Reactions from the audience (received by email)

“I cried in both halves and not just at “Daddy, my daddy!” Bobby was soooooooooo good. Phyllis was “such a darling.” Perks and the Old Gentleman just as they should be. Mother was emotionally mature and sang so well. All the children in Posh Talk were assured, confident and acting their socks off.”

“It was great. I loved the big end to the first half where the children stop the train. The music, shouting, waving and train noise all built up the excitement excellently. What a great success!”

“Not sure what we were impressed with more – the children, costumes, music and singing or the train coming through the tunnel. The work leading up to and behind the scenes is unseen but without it, it wouldn’t be such a professional production. Well done to all involved.”

“The acting, singing, choreography, music, costumes and scenery, were all superb. The three main children’s characters gave a performance worthy of professionals. They were so natural and didn’t put a foot wrong all evening. Completely endearing. It could have been a West End show. Even the programme was beautifully presented.”

More about the show:

• The story of The Railway Children
• The Railway Children – list of characters
• The Railway Children – scenes and songs

Scene 1: The London House and Surrounding Streets
Song: Prologue (Perks)
Song: Christmas is here! (Family, servants, carol singers)
Song: You can never return (Perks)

Scene 2: Charing Cross Station
Song: Together (Mother, Bobbie, Peter, Phyllis)

Scene 3: The Cottage
Song: You may enter a tunnel (Perks)

Scene 4: The Hillside

Scene 5: The Station
Song: All on time (Perks, Villagers)

Scene 6: Inside the Cottage
Song: You might make a friend (Perks)

Scene 7: The Station Platform
Song: Posh talk (Bobbie, Peter, Phyllis, Perks’ children, village children)

Scene 8: The Cottage Garden and Kitchen
Song: Lullaby (in Russian! Szczepansky)

Scene 9: The Railway Carriage and the Hillside
Song: The Railway Children (Old Gentleman)

Scene 10: The Cottage Garden
Song: ‘Til the day (Mother)

Scene 11: The Hillside, Outside the Tunnel

ACT TWO

Scene 1: The Station Platform
Song: A once in a lifetime day (Perks, Engine driver, Bobbie, Peter, Phyllis, villagers)
Song: While you’re busy dreaming (Old Gentleman)

Scene 2: The Hillside, Outside the Tunnel
Dance: Paperchase ballet

Scene 3: Inside the Tunnel
Song: Nothing to fear (Bobbie)

Scene 4: The Cottage
Song: One voice (part 1) (Old Gentleman, Perks)

Scene 5: The Cottage Garden

Scene 6: The Train Carriage

Scene 7: A London Street
Song: One voice (part 2) (Mother, Bobbie)

Scene 8: The Cottage Garden
Song: One voice (part 3) (Customer, Lady, Gossip, Housewife, Vendor, ensemble, Mother, Bobbie)

Scene 9: A London Street

Scene 10: The Cottage Garden
Song: Who knows what you’ll find (Perks)

Scene 11: The Hillside
Song: Nearly autumn (Bobbie)

Scene 12: The Station Platform
Song: Finale (Bobbie, Old Gentleman, All)
Song: A once in a lifetime day (all)

Time: Christmas 1905 to September 1906

Father, a civil servant
Mother, his wife
Bobbie (Roberta) his daughter
Peter, his son
Phyllis, his younger daughter
Ruth, his maid
Cook, his cook
Carol Singers

Mr Barrie
Dr Forrest
Lord Fleet
Ethel
Flo
Mrs Ransome
Gert
The Perks family:
     Mrs Perks
     Colin Perks
     Elsie Perks
     Ginger Perks
     Patch Perks
Village Children

Old Gentleman
Rushing man
Szczepansky
Engine driver
Jim
Customer
Lady
Gossip
Housewife
Vendor

The following morning they hear a train in the distance and discover that nearby is a railway line. They wave at a passing steam train with their handkerchiefs, asking that their love is taken to their father. A distinguished-looking gentleman waves back.

Following the line until they reach the station, they meet Mr Perks, the stationmaster. They share their enthusiasm for trains – ALL ON TIME. Mr Perks introduces the children to the villagers, including the grocer, the doctor, Lord Fleet, and the postmistress.

Mother becomes ill. Dr Forrest says that she requires a number of things to help her recover but the family cannot afford them. The children paint a large sign on an old bedsheet “LOOK OUT AT THE STATION” and wave it at the 9.15 the next day. When the train stops at the station, the note is passed to the Old Gentleman.

A hamper of supplies is duly delivered to the cottage and the children thank the Old Gentleman with a similar sign “She is nearly well, thank you”. But when Mother recovers and discovers how the provisions were acquired by what she considers to be begging, she is very cross.

We next meet Mr Perks’ children (and some other village children) who poke fun at the ways of Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis (POSH TALK). However, all the children eventually act out being upper class and by so doing become friends.

One day a man staggers off a train, asking for help in Russian. When it becomes apparent that he can speak French, Mother is called to interpret.

He is the Russian dissident Szczepansky, a writer of great books, who has escaped from prison in Siberia to England to find his family. Mother invites Szczepansky to convalesce at their home. He remembers his family and sings a song from his childhood (LULLABY). Mother suggests the children say a prayer “for all prisoners and captives”.

The children write again to their Old Gentleman on the train, asking if he would be able to help in finding Szczepansky’s wife and child (THE RAILWAY CHILDREN).

Mother asks the children why they don’t talk about Father any more, and they reply that when they did, Mother became upset, so they stopped. Mother remembers her husband and longs for the time he will return (TILL THE DAY).

One day, the children witness a landslide. Knowing they cannot possibly clear the line before the 11:29 passes through, the girls create warning flags out of their red bloomers. Bobbie stands firm between the rails, waving the red rags as the brakes are slammed on. The train comes to rest but only just in time.

ACT TWO

A ceremony is held at the station to commemorate the children’s bravery (A ONCE IN A LIFETIME DAY). The Old Gentleman has succeeded in finding Mr Szczepansky’s family and so Mr Szczepansky leaves to be reunited with them.

Bobbie asks the Old Gentleman when her father will be coming home. The Old Gentleman replies that Bobbie must do everything she can to help her father (WHILE YOU’RE BUSY DREAMING) by making her dreams a reality.

A while later, the children watch grammar school boys hold a ‘fox and hounds’ paper chase. One of the hounds fails to emerge from the railway tunnel. Investigating, they find their ‘hound in a red jersey’ with a broken leg. The boy, Jim, is taken to their cottage.

Bobbie says that she will look after Jim (NOTHING TO FEAR). Dr Forrest asks the children to collect some medicine, but Bobbie notices a story in the newspaper in which the medicine was wrapped. It says that Father has been found guilty of spying and that he has been sent to prison for seven years.

Jim’s grandfather comes to visit – it is their Old Gentleman! Mother agrees to look after Jim until he is recovered.

Bobbie tells her mother what she has read in the paper. Mother explains that it appears that someone placed some incriminating papers in Father’s desk – but she cannot get anyone to listen. Bobbie remembers what the Old Gentleman said about making a difference rather than dreaming so she asks Mother to let her speak to the Old Gentleman about her father, and her Mother agrees.

He says that when he read of Father’s case in the newspaper, he had had his doubts about the verdict and that although he had not done as much as he would have liked, he had hopes that all would be well. He gives a quotation from a poem written by Szczepansky (ONE VOICE).

Bobbie and Mother go to London. The Old Gentleman has discovered that a clerk who worked for Father bore a grudge against him and that the man has been seen talking with known Russian spies. He says that now they must make people listen, and that the Government should be petitioned for the case to be reviewed (ONE VOICE part 2).

On retuning from London to the Cottage, Bobbie tells Jim that they have nearly 5,000 signatures on a petition which they would be submitting to Downing Street.

In London, a mob is reading the latest news – the information about the Russian spy at Father’s work is in the papers. The mob call for the spy to be punished by giving him a life sentence. (ONE VOICE part 3) Mother is appalled at the crowd’s behaviour and asks them to think of the man’s children and that their wanting to punish him will punish the children too. She persuades the crowd to change their mind, and join in her fight (ONE VOICE).

Jim is fully recovered and leaves. The children realise that they hardly ever visit the railway now and decide to wave at the train to send their love to Father by it.

The whole train waves back as if in celebration. Bobbie feels that something exciting is about to happen (NEARLY AUTUMN). The postmistress is on her way to deliver a telegram to Mother and tells Bobbie go to the station as quickly as she can. The whole village has gathered at the station because of news in the paper. (FINALE) A train halts and, as the steam clears, Bobbie sees a figure on the platform: “Daddy! Oh my Daddy!”.