St. Michael's Players Prepares for The Railway Children |
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Budget doesn't stretch to steam trains but classic tale will be a tear-jerker
March 12, 2025 Local amateur dramatic group, the St. Michael’s Players, is currently hard at work rehearsing for its spring production of The Railway Children. This stage adaptation by Mike Kenny of E Nisbet’s classic story is directed by Guy Fairbank and is being staged between Wednesday 9 and Saturday 12 April. Tickets are already on sale. It is the story of a prosperous Edwardian family - mother and three children - forced into near penury in rural Yorkshire when their father is wrongly imprisoned for selling state secrets. Close to their new home The Three Chimneys lies Oakworth Station, where they befriend the local stationmaster Albert Perks. And it’s on the Northern and Southern Railway that their adventures really begin. This theatrical version was first staged at the National Railway Museum and later at Waterloo Station. A spokesperson for the Players says, “We don’t have the room for a steam train but we do have a space where the cry of ‘Daddy! My Daddy!’ is likely to invoke a tear…” Backstage help is still sought by the director so if you would like to volunteer email Guy Fairbank at guy.fairbank@gmail.com. There are performances from Wednesday 9 April to Saturday 12 April at 7:45pm with a matinee performance at 4pm on the Saturday. Tickets can be purchased from this link. The Cast: Bobbie - Dina Fahmy Peter - Deborah Ibrahimi Phyllis - Alice Suppiah Mother - Arabella Harcourt-Cooze Father/Worker 1 - Darren Cheers Albert Perks - Al Griffith Mrs Perks - Alice Klapwyk Perks Child/Children - James Cummins Cook 1/Mrs Viney/Cook 2 - Alison Du Cane Maid 1/Person 1/Hare/Maid 2 - Helen Morgan Butler/Person 2/District Super/Worker 2 - Chris Jones Doctor - David Burles Old Gentleman - Leslie Du Cane Jim/Szezcpansky - Oscar Fieldman Assorted Passengers - Cast Following The Railway Children, the St. Michael’s Players plans a Summer Festival from 2-5 July with its Autumn show scheduled for 8-11 October and the ever-popular panto taking place from 9-13 December. St. Michael's Players is one of the longest established drama groups in London. It has been staging plays in West London since 1949. In a good year it will present two full length performances in the Spring and the Autumn, a one-act play in the Summer and its famous panto at Christmas.
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