Think of Dickens and images come to mind of down-trodden gutter-snipes interacting with whiskered gentlemen in crowded Victorian cities. ‘The Signalman’, written late in Dickens career, is very different, set in and around an isolated signal box in a lonely, rural location. The hustle and bustle of city life has given way to a sense of isolation, with the story centring around a retired tea merchant with an interest in railways chancing upon a signal box during an evening stroll and his ensuring relationship with its sole occupant, the signalman.
In contrast to Dickens usual themes of class divisions, hardship and social inequality, 'The Signalman' is an intense character study with a dark mystery lurking in the shadows. It is a meeting of two worlds, the ‘traveller’ having visited many exotic parts of the world during a successful career in contrast to the signal man whose world has literally been confined to a box. Their uniting factor is that traveller has seen many strange things during his travels with the signalman locked in the grip of a recurring ghostly phenomenon. The character contrast between the genial, cheerful traveller played by John Burton and the brooding, introspective signalman, played by Chris Walker, worked well.
Some comparisons can be made to ‘The Woman in Black’ but this was a play much more ground in realistic presentation; essentially a one-set play with just a couple of brief front-of-stage scenes. In common with that play, the audience certainly let out a number of spontaneous gasps as unexpected ghostly happenings took them by surprise. In other respects, ‘The Signalman’ relied more on atmosphere than the script to create tension. For example, the opening was almost like a spaghetti western with no dialogue spoken for several minutes as the wind howled and wooden floorboards creaked, creating a sense of anticipation when a stranger eventually appears.
The superb set provided a perfect backdrop for the ensuing drama with the actual signal box positioned to the right of the stage so that the mouth of a railway tunnel was in full view with the track coming out onto the stage. There was a lot of attention to detail with plenty of flora growing in and around the rails so that when the traveller appeared out of the darkness opposite the signal box, it really looked like he had stumbled on a railway. The signal box itself looked very convincing with a lot of clutter amidst the various control levels, conveying the impression that this was the signalman’s world.
Every scene took place at night time, with a ghostly gloom enhanced by smoke effects and subtle lighting, ensuring a spooking atmosphere. A sole red ward warning light at the tunnel entrance provided a powerful image in contrast to the torches of the signalman and the traveller as they walked across the tracks. Without giving any spoilers, the ghost itself was very effectively conveyed; there was no doubling-up here (as with the ‘The Woman in Black!’) but what essentially looked like a genuine supernatural apparition.
The venue deserved some mention with the Floral Pavilion dramatically situated at the very point where the Mersey meets the sea. Having undergone a major make-over in 2008, the theatre blends old world charm with a modern feel and is well worth discovering.
‘The Signalman’ powerfully depicted a chance relationship between two very disparate characters in an interesting, dramatic location, providing a strong blend of intense acting and stagecraft.
The play continues touring until March 2026 and is well worth catching if you fancy an evening of powerful, pure theatre.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
On - 23rd October 2025
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