Seen our production of The Railway Children? Moved by the magical ending? Inspired to tell all your friends, family and colleagues about the show?
A few of the great comments sent to York Theatre Royal already:
WE THOUGHT ‘THE RAILWAY CHILDREN’ WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTICParticular praise to the technical team – the travelling smoke generator is an inspiration and putting a couple of carriages between the engine and the diesel ensures that one can’t here the klonking outside! The theatre logo on the end of the seating is a nice touch too and the full lighting and sound rig are superb! Well done! (David Neville)
While on holiday in York I was in the audience of the performance of The Railway Children on Thursday and I was bowled over by the magnificent spectacle. As a keen theatre buff I must congratulate you on such a great experience.It was unforgettable and I hope to attend another performance later in the year. Despite living so far away (in Elgin in north Scotland) I hope to return to see the show again. Thanks for the highlight of my holiday. Best wishes! Bill Young
Add your comments and reviews below!
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York Theatre Royal Blog 
I took my mum to see this fantastic performance, in the amazing venue. We both had tears in our eyes at the end.
just stunning!!!
thank you
We came to see this years production of “The Railway Children” partly because we could not get tickets in 2008.
We also brought our friends from Ireland,(or they brought us), and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
A very competent production.
Incidently our friend from Ireland is Peter(Jonathan Race)’s mum, she enjoyed it as well.
We went to see The Railway Children in 2008 & loved it, so we booked again for this year & went on 24th July. It was even better than I remembered! We absolutely loved it, the acting was fantastic & the set was amazing. The audience were captivated & it was lovely to see the children as well as the adults totally enthralled in the production! Well done to everyone involved!
I saw this wonderful production in 2008 – Ho Ho! Miracles do happen….You can imagine how thrilled I was to hear ‘The Railway Children’ was not only coming back in 2009 (!), but this time had the fabulous Martin Barrass in the role of Perks…(who missed a bit when sweeping up the platform, I was chuffed to tell him)….
What can I say?
Once again, it’s sheer delight from beginning to end. Just the way Perks says ”LEEDS!!”, makes the audience fall about with laughter! The children are treated with such respect and never ever spoken ‘down to’ in Mike Kenny’s wondrous adaptation. At the same time, Damian’s inspired staging & direction ensures that these young members of future theatre audiences are already colluding with the conceit of theatre magic…and goodness, don’t they just ‘get it!?’ Their faces are completely rapt. Reminding me of a little one in front of me last year who said, ‘I know it’s not a real tunnel, but we have to pretend…”
Well done to one and all, cast & crew, on another triumph. Not a dry eye in the house and no shirking of the grown-up politics and difficult moral & emotional issues found in Nesbit’s original story.
I remain delighted, proud and honoured to be a ‘Railway Children Train-Spotting-Anorak’!
I’ve seen this show three times now, and I notice new things to enjoy on every visit. The whole concept is ingenious and Mr Kenny’s adaption is sharp, funny, and cleverly side-steps the twee parts of the story. And as for the scenery/ambience and effects – worth the admission price on their own!
What a brilliant show, i loved everything about the production perhaps one of the most successful theatre collaborations ever between York Theatre and the National Rail Museum. Every one should get to see this it is moving, magnificent and timeless and has my favorite actress Kali Peacock doing what she does so well ever the consumate actress XX Kali
My wife and I have just been to see the production, I was rather worried when we booked our tickets, I guess I, like many others, have grown up with the film, a classic in so many ways and something i really didn’t want to see spoilt by a poor production. Well my worries were soon put to rest, the careful adaptation of the story and the delivery of the story by the main characters was superb. This close proximity of the production cleverly brings to life the characters in a way we have never seen before, the way the story has been split between the story and the narration makes you feel part of the story. All in all this was a very well executed performance delivered in a most delightful way. My wife cried more during the show than she does when we watch the film. Well done to everyone involved in the production. I will be coming again before this years run ends.
I too saw the show last year and again this year. Everything – technology, script, performance, direction comes together and the result is a unique experience. What really struck me was the happy faces of the audience. In the interval, everyone I saw, whether queuing for the loos or buying ice-cream, was smiling. Last year, my husband described it as totally satisfying, like a really good meal. This year, my mum said she wanted to give the cast a standing ovation, but felt too shy. So, if you haven’t seen it – go and give the cast and crew the ovation they deserve. This is special.
Having seen the production last year and been moved to tears, I booked tickets for 11 of my family this year. As they were travelling from Aberdeen, Sussex and Leicester, I was praying that it was going to be as spectacular as 2008. No worries! They were all completely bowled over. We had two 5-year olds with us who were absolutely captivated as were the 70-year olds in our party! My father, a retired journalist and ex-theatre critic is still talking about it a week later! We’ll all be on the front row again NEXT year if it’s coming back. PLEASE!
What an amazing afternoon. The whole family loved the performance- absolutely made our holiday in York. Do go and see it!
Our uncle took us to see The Railway Children on the 15th of August. We thought it was brilliant and would recomend it to every one! The best bits were when the train came on 🙂 It was very clevery produced and we would happily go see it again!
A fantastic performance from start to finish.My husband and I came to York from Worcester especially to see it and can thoroughly recommend it for all ages.Thank you to all the cast.
Absolutely loved it! Came out of the performance saying when can we go and see it again?! Can’t recommend it highly enough. It was so well done, and so clever. Thank you to all the cast and the production team! Hope it’s back for 2010 – will definitely be getting tickets!
Have seen it twice this year and got more out of it the second time which was amazing. Some of the best theatre I have ever seen. Do it again next year and more productions in the museum based on similar approaches-surely you could do something for younger children based on Awdry’s books.
We saw the 23rd July performance for my 59th birthday outing. Hadn’t wanted to go the previous year as I thought nothing could live up to Jenny Agutter and the film. How wrong I was! Found this to be utterly moving and cried (quietly!) all the way through. Acting was excellent from everyone – totally convincing and compelling. Wonderful theatre, wonderful production. Ten out of ten to everyone concerned. Don’t miss it.
We saw “The Railway Children” matinee performance on 22nd August, what a triumpth. The seating, the settings, the atmosphere was that of aa wonderful old fashioned pantomime, when the children were mesmerised and the adults transfixed. All the performances were totally commendable and the costumes, simple but effective. A delightdul and delicious way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Thank you for a true family treat.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production and found it more enthralling than ever. Having watched the show last year, I did not think a return performance would be as enjoyable. My grandaughter was also totally captivated ,again this was her 2nd visit. Well done all of you.
Maureen and Katie
We came to see the Railway Children in 2008 and didn’t have to think twice about coming again in 2009. Another fantastic production showing. A great job done by all involved… Well done !!!
Stunning! Saw the production last year and this time brought our 8 year old grandaughter with us. She sat mesmerised with the whole show. Yes, she had an ice cream at the interval but couldn’t wait to get back inside as she didn’t want to miss anything. Congratulations to everybody involved. Surely it has got to come back again next year?
My husband and I went to see the railway children, after reading fantastic reviews. It was amazing – everyone involved should be so proud to put on such a performance. I booked tickets for my teenage sons who also thoroughly enjoyed it although they were not sure it was “going to be their thing”. I loved the way Martin Barras chatted to the audience during the interval – a really nice guy.
What a glorious performance of “The Railway Children” yesterday evening … captivating, entrancing, warm, funny, engaging, interesting … truly theatrical, superbly conceived and put together, with a lovely cast AND stage crew (and oh but what a show to be crew on ! 🙂
Four of us were there – two grandparents, two grandchildren; we all want to come again (and with more family members 🙂
We’ll see …
With best wishes for the rest of the run,
OAP John
Went to see The Railway Children last night ……….11 ladies……………what a wonderful, uplifting clever production………..please come back again next summer so I can take all my family from Ireland. The cast were wonderful and gave us so much pleasure. Well done!
We were visiting York and saw that the Railway Children was on so we came. It was an excellent presentation. Every actor spoke clearly and the story line is very good – ideal for children and for innocent pensioners like us! The sound effects and the steam train were someone’s fantastic idea and we loved it. Audience participation was encouraged and litter was collected instantly. Any more similar to this and we will be there.
We saw the matinee on 22/8 and it was absolutely magical!
Travelled to York by train with hubby, two daughters (8 & 5) & mother-in-law. We were all enthralled – the staging is so clever and the cast superb including, of course, the Stirling Single!
On leaving the museum I had the opportunity to let Colin Tarrant know how much we had enjoyed our afternoon – he seemed genuinely pleased at the compliment.
Since then my 8 year old has been reading the book & listening to her audio book pretty much non-stop!
Fingers are crossed for a repeat performance next year (please)! Well done to everyone involved.
My granny and grandad took me with mummy. It was brilliant, just the same story as the film but better as we met the actors and saw the steam train. We sat on the front row which was fantastic.
Grandad said better than Jenny Agutter.
Saw this production last night and it was excellent. Haven’t been to the theatre in years so this was the perfect way back into it.
Only problem is that it made me want to act again, something that I no longer have time for 😦
Fantastic cast and acting!
Saw the production on 28th August, and was lucky to be seated on the first row. What a production, what a set, what a brilliant way to tell the story, what engaging actors, how super to feel almost part of the performance, being so close to what was happening. Staging incredibly clever and innovative. And the cast!! You took us with you into the story… We were there too, not just watching. I so sincerely hope that the production will be staged in 2010 so that more people can see it! – And the arrival of that locomotive!! Thank you to you all for a magical evening!
Another successful show. Went to see the show last year. Fantastic. Even better this year. Brilliant performance. The new members of the cast did a really good job, adding to an already freat cast. Hope for its return next year. It’s just a show to beat all shows. 10/10 AGAIN!!! Keep up the good work!!
It was amazing to see and enjoy so much, the actors and actress’ were spot on 10/10 it was a magical and a special evening! I shall be there next year to experience it again. I cannot wait to see it again!
Well done to everyone who was there on the last night (when I saw it) it was such a perfect night, thank you ever so much.
We took our 13 year old granddaughter to the very last show on 5th September and we all absolutely loved it! We were lucky enough to get front row seats and Mr Perks (the adorable Martin Barrass) clipped our tickets, much to the delight of our granddaughter! It was a magical performance, with superb acting, brilliant sound effects and a real steam engine – what a great treat! A timeless story and the ending brings tears to my eyes every time! Congratulations to all the cast and crew, and if the show comes back next year, we wouldn’t hesitate to tell family and friends to see it!
I took my mum to see the production for her 50th Birthday on the 5th Spetember and we had a fabulous time, it brought tears to our eyes. Also the cast were fabulous and really friendly, we were sat on the front row and they all noticed mum’s birthday badge and they all wished her a happy birthday which was wonderful, it made it really special for her Thank you for a fabulous night x
This is the best film i have ever seen after seeing it i could watch it another million time i loved it and want to go see it again but also want to get the video if there is one on will be but it was just like the real film i was knocked out of my seat when a real train came OMG just great i would like to see it again soon !!!!!