The Railway Children A Musical, The Little Theatre, Leicester Review

Reviewed by Catherine Brown

Children’s classic ‘The Railway Children’ is being performed by Leicester Drama Society as a musical adaptation at The Little Theatre, Leicester. It is a delightful treat for families of all ages to enjoy over the Easter period. The original book was written by Edith Nesbitt, although many will be more familiar with the 1970 film. This stage version, arranged by Concord theatricals, is skilfully directed by Leigh White who also does an remarkable job leading the musical accompaniments.

The clever staging successfully takes the audience back to the early 1900s where a family become separated from comfortable London home when their father is wrongly accused of being a spy. The three children Roberta (Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis, along with their mother, move to the Yorkshire countryside and learn to adapt to life with less money. Much of the story revolves around the nearby railway station and the station manager Perks, played by Tom Young, whose humour and wise words make the children’s new standard of life more bearable.

The siblings get up to many adventures together, including helping an injured schoolboy and preventing disaster after a landslip onto the railway line. Throughout ‘The Railway Children’ Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis demonstrate the importance of caring and being cared for. They are helped on their journey by an old gentleman whom they regularly wave to on the train, played skilfully by David Lovell.

Michael Holland has the challenge of playing two main roles, including that of a Russian Mr Szczepansky, and does an impressive job singing a Russian lullaby. My favourite characters were the four youngsters playing the Perks children, their disliking of the newcomers was very entertaining to watch especially during the song ‘Posh Talk’. I was also enthralled by Scarlett Hubbard playing Bobbie. She did an exceptional job demonstrating the vulnerability and pressure of responsibility which comes with being the eldest sibling and had a fantastic singing voice. Her interactions with her mother, played by Amanda Sadler, felt very heart-moving and genuine.

The set is cleverly arranged so that the railway tracks appear and disappear through a tunnel to give a more realistic impression of Yorkshire village life. This play involves plenty of songs which show of the skills of the whole ensemble and teach the audience more about life during the steam age, my favourites included ‘All on Time’ and ‘One Voice’. During the interval we were able to purchase drinks and ice cream at a very reasonable price. The staff were warm and friendly and I noticed them help a young family with the provision of a booster seat.

By the end of the evening I was keen to revisit more of E. Nesbit’s stories with my children and will also keep a keen eye out for more shows at The Little Theatre.

‘The Railway Children: A musical’ is at The Little Theatre, Dover Street, Leicester LE1 6PW until 15th April 2023 including many matinee performances.
Tickets cost £17.50 (adult) or £15 (concessions) and can be bought at www.thelittletheatre.co.uk or by phoning the box office on 0116 255 1302.

Rating: 5/5