"The Railway Children" by Edith Nesbit adapted for stage by Mike Kenny

Poster

About the Author
Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) was an extraordinary woman. She wrote over 60 books - not just for children but ghost stories and volumes of poetry too. She was married to the philanderer Hubert Bland and brought up six children, including two of his from a secret liaison. She and Bland were friends of William Morris and helped found the socialist Fabian Society, an important influence on today’s Labour Party. Indeed, looking back at The Railway Children as an adult you can see how Nesbit’s views on social justice feature strongly, with the father imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and the character of Szezcpansky is said to have been based on the Russian Revolutionary Sergius Stepniak, who once lived in nearby Bedford Park, neatly providing a local connection too. Curiously, however, Nesbit was against women having the vote. 

Director’s Notes
The Railway Children is a much-loved book for so many people. It won a new generation of fans when Lionel Jefferies’ 1970 film was released. This version, cleverly adapted for the stage by Mike Kenny, was first performed in York’s National Railway Museum, then later at Waterloo Station (where I saw it). In 2016 I played Perks in an outdoor version but have always wanted to direct it, so a big thank you to St Michael’s Players for the opportunity. I’m extremely grateful to all the members who’ve given a considerable amount of time to the set, costumes, props, sound and lights. They’ve rolled up their sleeves, put their shoulders to the wheel and their noses to the grindstone. And my thanks to the cast, whose performance I hope will invoke a small tear in the corner of one’s eye…

What they said
"I loved it so much! Thank you! Wonderful performances all round, an absolute triumph, huge congratulations to everyone…brilliantly directed, sound and lighting top notch, superb set design -  such talented artists, wonderful period costumes too! Hanky came in very handy 🥲, such a heartwarming story, beautiful script.  Enjoy the rest of the run xxx

Apologies for missing out mentioning stage management and props both as always brilliant ❤" Cressida S

"Absolutely fabulous performances tonight everyone! Well done all! Really enjoyed! 😉" Imogen M

"Well done to all the cast and crew last night. A lovely and successful ensemble achievement. You should all be deservedly proud of the show. 👏👏" Alastair D

"Brilliant production and definitely deserved the standing ovation 👏" Mike D

"Wow! What a triumph that was?!! Huge thanks to all the cast and crew of ‘Railway Children’, not least Herr Direktor @Guy Fairbank (seated menacingly in the front pews - no pressure)for such a wonderfully entertaining show. St Michael’s Players is just a-may-zing!! Chapeau 🥰🥳" Tracey L

"Well done on a terrific show last night - we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The Players are a very impressive group with a fantastic venue - so much to envy. Just sad it is not in our neighbourhood or we could all offer to help and breathe in the ambience of the stage and re-live those LP (Ladbroke Players) moments! Thanks for letting us know about this great production. Wishing you well in the final performances and a well deserved rest on Sunday!" Cornelius

"Well, well well, I am no longer a railway children Virgin! And the next time I’m on a flight I’m going to watch the movie. Thank you everybody really beautifully done. The sound and lighting were spot on. There were moments when I forgot it was theatre. Many seamless moments.  The backdrops!!! Stunning." Tony T

"Brilliant production, once again (seeing it for 2nd time)- totally engaged every minute - congratulations to everyone!🌞👏" Sue S

"Fantastic show - everyone was brilliant" Ken B​

"Great play last night! Loved it! 👏👏👏" Anny H

"Brilliant show last night. Congratulations to all involved and very much an ensemble piece as it should be. Great performances, super set, brilliant direction (lovely and pacy) and not forgetting the backstage crew too, super. Bravo" Neil C

“What a brilliant performance of The Railway Children. We all thoroughly enjoyed it” Ali B

"Fun night out to see all your hard work come to fruition in The Railway Children. Congratulations to all the cast and crew for entertaining us so royally, to the bar staff for making sure we didn’t go thirsty and to the many unnamed people without whom these fabulous productions would not take place. OAKWORTH!!” Gerry and Barbara W

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐​ "Brilliant evening watching The Railway Children performance. Excellent production" Bryan B

"We had such a fab time at the St Michael’s Players, The Railway Children. My daughters and their friends loved it and I may have shed a tear!" Laura S

"Just to say how very much we enjoyed The Railway Children. Your and Leslie’s characters were very good and you must have enjoyed playing them. Leslie was a superb and avuncular ‘old gentleman’ and the cook characters were great fun with some excellent asides and you even used your singing voice to great effect I thought.  Well done. The ‘children’ were brilliant as well and the story had good momentum. I am always fascinated by the staging of so many environments and scenes in such a small area with such a clever use of suitcases in this case. We ate at the Copper Cow as we did last time and all in all had a delightful evening out. Thank you for prompting us and sending details." Helen

"Congratulations to Guy, cast and crew. A brilliant adaptation for the stage. The set was stunning with lovely costumes and brilliant very moving performances from everybody. Sounds and lighting were terrific. Not a dry eye in the house! Xxx" Sue D

"Thank you and a big hug and well done from me for a lovely, warm, poignant and very clever show.  You all made it look so easy.  The set was absolutely great - the acting superb - the lighting and sound spot on - the direction was magnificent.  Sweet dreams to you all tonight and break legs twice tomorrow.  See you soon, Txxx....… and the custumes were so of the period that I forgot that we don’t all wear petticoats anymore - well some of us don’t anyway " Tessa D

"Wonderful, everyone! A delightful show, terrific acting , brilliant set, costumes, sound… 4 happy Bs" Amelia B

"What a fabulous show tonight, I LOVED it!  Well done to Guy and to everyone involved in The Railway Children for creating  for two hours of glorious escapism and for making everyone in the audience laugh and cry and go home happy,  it was a total joy!" Elizabeth O

"Congratulations.  Amazing play. Everyone  has been excellent" Mahir S

"Another success for St.Michael's players. Brilliant performances. Costumes and sets are now at a whole new level. Well done everyone..I loved it..." Isabelle M

"Absolutely fantastic, I loved every second! Well done to everyone involved and lovely to catch up afterwards too 🤍Thank you for a wonderful evening. Congratulations Guy! 🤩Thank goodness I had a spare tissue 🥹 x" Bryony P

"Brilliant loved it cried a lot I love this story and superb director cast and crew x" Paul F

"Guy, well done!! 👏 I loved the Railway Children. Great casting, wonderful performances and lovely set. I laughed and cried, and loved waving my white hanky 😁 Well done to all cast and crew 🙌 super duper! X" Ann F

"Wonderful job, all! Such a lovely team ensemble, and I am obsessed with the suitcases-as-set choices, so so great, made it all a beautiful dance. Xx" Allisson DF

"It was hugely enjoyable - a terrific production with a great cast and set" Torin D

"That was a terrific effort. Well done and thank you. We all thoroughly enjoyed The Railway Children - it was so well directed! And what fun it must have been for you and the cast. It is such a lovely little theatre too - I hope the other nights go as well as ours did" Jane F

"Excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed. Well done all’"Vanessa W

Photos

Spotlight interview
Guy, Alun and Oscar head to Spotlight radio and share the love.​
www.mixcloud.com/riversideradio/spotlight-010425-featuring-interviews-with-st-michaels-players-and-putney-light-operatic-society/

Programme
2504_railway_children.pdf
File Size: 1255 kb
File Type: pdf
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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)

Crew

Director (Guy Fairbank)
Set Design (Alastair Dewar, Arabella Harcourt-Cooze, Teena Heer, Holly Tisson and Cast/Crew)
Stage Manager (Christine Lee)
Sound (Gareth Sammer, Rachel Fay)
Lighting (Andy Rooney, Gareth Sammer)
Props (Susan Johnson and Members of St Michael’s Players)
Costumes (Vicki Belcher, Imogen Measday)
Hair and make-up (Rosie Copping)
Poster Design (Ian Trowbridge)
Publicity (Gareth Sammer, Rachel Fay, Guy Fairbank)
​Front of House (Members & Friends of St Michael's Players)