York Theatre Royal’s epic site-specific staging of The Railway Children has extended its residency at Waterloo Station into next year.
Now booking to 2 January 2011, the production is staged in the former Eurostar terminal and boasts a set featuring the old Gentleman’s saloon carriage from
the 1970 film version. It also features a period steam train – the
‘Stirling Single’ – from the National Railway Museum, where the production was first seen in 2008.
At Waterloo, where it opened earlier this week (See 1st Night Photos, 13 Jul 2010), a 1000-seat auditorium has been specially constructed with the
audience seated either side of the original railway track, with the
action taking place both on the track and on the platforms either side.
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 Railway Children, a York Theatre Royal production, is presented in London in association with the National Rail Museum by Jenny King and Matthew Gale for The Touring Consortium (Railway Children), Tristan Baker, Oliver Royds, PW Productions and Sue Scott Davison.
The production has been made possible with the support of Welcome to Yorkshire, the official tourism agency for Yorkshire, BRB (Residuary) Ltd and Network Rail. Each performance is in support of the Railway Children Charity that aims to help homeless and runaway children throughout the world, with £1 per ticket sale donated to the charity.