Martin Barrass cast as Mr. Perks in Olivier Award winning THE RAILWAY CHILDREN this summer at National Railway Museum in York
The Railway Children
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| Martin Barrass as Mr. Perks Photo by Anthony Robling |
31 July – 5 September 2014
National Railway Museum, York
Martin Barrass, currently starring in
the York Theatre Royal Pantomime Old Mother Goose, has confirmed he’ll be
playing Mr Perks in the York Theatre Royal and National Railway Museum
production of The Railway Children this summer when it returns home to York.
It
will be the second time Barrass has played the character, originally donning Mr
Perks’ cap back in 2009 when the production was brought back by popular demand
after selling out and winning a Laurence Olivier Award the previous year.
The
production’s popularity keeps soaring and Mike Kenny’s stage adaptation of the
famous novel also opened in Kings Cross, London at the end of last year, where
it has recently received critical acclaim being described as “oozing charm” by
The Stage and receiving countless four and five star reviews... yes, we gave it four stars last week! It will return to
its original home in July 2014 in a purpose built 1,000-seat theatre tent,
complete with a railway track and platforms for a live 60-tonne steam
locomotive, and the Old Gentleman’s Saloon from the original classic film.
Barrass
said of the news
I simply can’t
wait to make the return trip as Mr Perks in York Theatre Royal's, The Railway
Children.
A Stunningly
beautiful and ground-breaking production of the E Nesbitt classic.
I get to blow
whistles, wave flags and clip tickets . . . . what more could a boy want?
Over 24,000 people saw the show in 2008 and demand
for tickets was so high that the last three weeks of the show was completely
sold out - meaning hundreds of people had to be turned away. This resulted in the local press receiving
several letters calling for the production to be re-staged, and their calls
were answered the following year when the two iconic York establishments
re-staged the show.
Damian Cruden, Artistic Director of York Theatre Royal said
Many people will already know Martin from the roles
he’s played in so many productions, not only at York Theatre Royal but also at
the National Theatre, Hull Truck and from his radio show. He always brings so
much energy to a project and will be fantastic in the role of Mr Perks.
The
Railway Children tells the story of
how the comfortable lives of three Edwardian children, Bobby, Peter and Phyllis
are shattered when their father is arrested on suspicion of betraying state
secrets. The children and their mother
move from London to a modest cottage near a railway in the Yorkshire
countryside. New friendships, adventures and terrifying dangers await. But the
mystery remains – where is father, and is he ever coming back?
The Railway Children, also features one of the biggest guest stars ever
to take to the stage – the Great Western Pannier Tank 5775, the steam locomotive
used in the classic film, which rolls to a majestic halt in front of the
audience.
The Great
Western (GWR) Pannier Tank 5775 was built at Swindon in 1929 and was one of 863
built by GWR between 1929 and 1950. They were originally used as light goods
and shunting engines but also for local freight and as passenger trains.
As a result of modernisation the Class 5700 was withdrawn
from British Rail service between 1956 and 1966. Nineteen of these withdrawn
locomotives were sold to London Transport for use on the underground where they
took on the London Transport maroon livery. Ten were later preserved along with
six that were rescued from scrap yards.
No 5575 served in the capital until January 1970 when it was sold to the
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in 1970 and appeared in The Railway Children
film in the caramel livery of the fictional Great North & South Railway
(GN&SR) alongside Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett, Gary Warreb, Dinah
Sheridan and Bernard Cribbins.
The Railway
Children, returned to London on
16 December, it re-opens at its original home at the National Railway Museum in
York from 31 July 2015. The production, directed once again by York Theatre Royal’s Artistic
Director Damian Cruden, will be part of the theatre’s residency at the museum
during its £4.1 million re-development. The theatre’s Chief Executive, Liz
Wilson commented:
Part of The Railway Children’s popularity is its ability to appeal to a
wide audience, as previous sell–out runs in York, Waterloo and Toronto have
proved. York Theatre Royal and the National Railway Museum are delighted to be
bringing the production back and the cast will be announced shortly.
Tickets are priced between £10 and £32.50 and can
be bought by calling the Box Office on 01904 623568, securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
or in person at York Theatre Royal.
Listings Information:
York Theatre Royal and National Railway Museum present
E Nesbit’s The Railway Children
Friday 31 July – Saturday 5 September
2015
Directed by Damian Cruden
Written by Mike Kenney
Tickets: £32.50 - £10
Box Office 01904 623568
Labels
Theatre
