Theatre News

Cast: Benton Joins Railway Children, Traverse Tree, Howl

Theo Bosanquet
London's West End Off-West End

Mark Benton will join the cast of The Railway Children on 3 December for the Olivier and Whatsonstage.com Award-winning production’s final six weeks at Waterloo Station.

Benton, whose TV credits include Waterloo Road, Early Doors and Catterick, will play Perks, the station porter.

The Railway Children tells the story of Bobby, Peter and Phyllis, three children whose lives change dramatically when their father is mysteriously taken away. They move from London to a cottage in rural Yorkshire with their mother where they befriend the local railway porter and embark on a magical journey of discovery, friendship and adventure.

The show boasts a set featuring the old Gentleman’s saloon carriage from the 1970 film version and a period steam train – the ‘Stirling Single’ – from the National Railway Museum, where Damian Cruden’s production was first seen in 2008.

Mark Benton’s recent stage credits include Toad in The Wind in the Willows for Northern Stage, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg for Nottingham Playhouse, Comedians for the Lyric Hammersmith, Kosher Harry for the Royal Court and The Front Page at the Donmar Warehouse.

In other casting news:

  • The Traverse in Edinburgh has announced the cast for The Tree of Knowledge, a new play by Jo Clifford which runs from 10 to 24 December marking David Hume’s tercentenary. Gerry Mulgrew plays Hume, working with Traverse Theatre Company for the first time since his appearance in John Byrne’s Nova Scotia. Playing Adam Smith is Neil McKinven, who last worked with the Traverse on Rona Munro’s The Last Witch. Joanna Tope, who was nominated for a New York Drama Desk award in May 2011 for her performance in Douglas Maxwell’s Promises, Promises, plays Eve.
  • Howl’s Moving Castle, which opens for a six week run at Southwark Playhouse on 2 December 2011 (previews from 28 November), will star Daniel Ings, Kristin McGuire, Sue Sheridan and Jamie Wilkes. The family show, adapted from Diana Wynne Jones’ classic novel, will also feature the voice of Stephen Fry as the narrator.