Press Office
Railway Children cast-ing spell on local youngsters
The young stars of the theatrical event of the year will be revealed at York Theatre Royal this Monday.
The entire cast including 50 local children involved in this summer’s performances of E Nesbit’s The Railway Children (18 July-23 August) are gathering together at the theatre to celebrate the start of rehearsals for the play, which will soon be taking place at a purpose-built set at the National Railway Museum (NRM).
The ‘meet and greet’ event, follows the first read through of renowned children’s playwright Mike Kenny’s adaptation of the popular children’s classic earlier that day.
In the coming weeks, the ‘Railway Children’ will also be getting to grips with performing alongside the biggest co-star ever to take to the stage – the 39 tonne Stirling Single locomotive. To gain some first hand experience of life on the footplate while being dressed in turn of the century clothing, the young stars of the show be hitching a ride on a working steam locomotive at the North York Moors Railway this Friday 27th June.
Daniel Bates, Chief Executive of York Theatre Royal, said:
” The next few weeks are going to be really hard work, with the cast rehearsing their lines and getting to grips with starring alongside a real live steam engine.
Once the heavyweight star of the show, Stirling Single, is moved into position and our specially designed set is built in the South Yard of the NRM it is all aboard for a summer theatrical spectacular at the home of the railway.”
Stirling Single is not the only piece of railway memorabilia set to make a star appearance at the NRM over the summer. The ‘Old Gentleman’s Saloon‘, the carriage which featured in the famous seventies film starring Jenny Agutter, will be on display at the NRM for the duration of The Railway Children.
The saloon was built in 1870 - the same year as Stirling Single was constructed - by the Stockton and Darlington Railway, and is usually kept at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
Tickets for The Railway Children are now on sale and are priced at £15.00 for adults and £10.00 for children (A family ticket is available for £40 for 4 people including at least 1 Adult and 1 Child and for Groups of 10+ Adults are £13)
June 2008