Since I first read E.Nesbit’s book and watched Lionel Jeffries 1970 film, I don’t remember which I did first, I’ve been captivated by the story of The Railway Children in all its adaptations, up to and including The Railway Children Return and Jacqueline Wilson’s modern retelling, The Primrose Railway Children.
Could this adaptation live up to my particular expectations? I needn’t have worried, as this enchanting version of the story, adapted for the stage by Dave Simpson, faithfully recounts the tale of a family forced to move from London to the northern countryside following the wrongful arrest of their daddy for spying. The narrative follows the adventures of and friendships formed by the children, with the railway station master, his family, and the Old Gentleman on the train, before finishing, like all good stories, with a happy ending when the children are reunited with their father. Such a story cannot be easy to stage, but Southport Dramatic Club made an excellent job of it. Perks, the grumpy but likeable station master, played by Rikki Spofforth, narrated the play, and Tash Proffitt gave a strong performance as the well-spoken, upper-class mother of the Railway Children. The busy doctor (Peter McNab) and the likeable Russian, Mr Szczepansky (Richard Michell), with his multilingual lines, together with the Old Gentleman on the train (Mike Yates), were all stalwart characters in the story and, alongside the Perks children (Nathaniel Grills, Leyland Musa, Bonnie Kilbride, Pearle Johnson, Niamh Tolson, and Yves Vertie), kept the audience captivated throughout.
Congratulations should go to the whole cast and crew for this production, but special mention must be made of the Railway Children themselves: the sensible, prim and proper Roberta (Anna Motyka), the scatty, stroppy and strong-headed Phyllis (Imogen Povey), and the slightly snobbish, upper-class Peter (James Nolan). Their dialogue was delivered effectively and clearly, and they stayed in character throughout the performance, even stifling laughter during a “buttie”-eating scene. It was easy to believe in their sibling relationships: caring, loving and funny, but not without their squabbles.
The simple set worked well, with an abundance of props all in keeping with the era, while the sound effects (Chiron Farrinond) and lighting (Neil Yates) added to the atmosphere and really made you think the train was in the tunnel or that you were standing on the platform at Oakworth station. Director Kate Miles-Roberts and assistant director Corinna Davies can be extremely proud of this production.
The Railway Children runs until Saturday 16th May and details can be found here,
https://littletheatresouthport.co.uk/boxoffice/spsecure_sca/select.php
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 09.05.2026
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