As a new musical adaptation of E. Nesbit’s classic story, The Railway Children, steamed into the Grand Theatre in June, the absence of any show programme or promotional literature made it hard for the audience to discover anything about the production company, ‘Talking Scarlet’, but for a modest mention of their name on the poster. A missed opportunity to promote the work of this prolific Brighton- based company.
The cast of eight actors efficiently covered the key characters in this well known story, especially portraying the three children convincingly with a controlled performance.
The musical element was well thought out but fell short of providing the audience with memorable tunes to hum as they left the theatre. However the cast’s accomplished singing skills provided a showcase for this new work. Mr Perks’ patter song, a challenge for any singer, was well executed and the actor pulled it off having already won the hearts of the audience with his stage presence.
The sparse set only suggested Edwardian life, and projected slides let the audience know where each scene was set. The occasional puffs of ‘steam’, as trains arrived and departed provoked a giggle or two at the company’s attempt to compensate for there being no actual trains chugging across the stage.
Fans will enjoy watching this memorable classic story unfold as each episode is played out. However, this new musical adaptation, written by Stephen Kingsbury and Ben Sleep, would benefit from financial backing to enable the producers to take it to the next level. For now the company deserve praise for a modest telling of this charming nostalgic tale.
The Railway Children continues to steam around the country this summer.
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