Review: The Railway Children (Theatre at The Tabard)

Review by Justin Williams

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s something instantly comforting and familiar about The Railway Children. Even if you haven’t read the book since childhood, the story arrives with a glow of pure nostalgia. This Christmas, the Tabard Theatre celebrates its 40th anniversary with a production that captures that warm, old-fashioned charm, ultimately earning its stars through the strength of its performances.

Edith Nesbit’s story may be over a century old, but its themes of family, resilience, and ultimate human kindness still resonate. Louise Haddington’s adaptation keeps those themes front and centre, making it easy to settle in and enjoy the journey on what is,

at times, a challenging and compact stage.

The strongest element of this production is, without a doubt, the acting. Max Pascoe’s Peter is a highlight, not just for his comedic moments, but for the nuanced, layered

portrayal he brings. He gives Peter a real sense of vulnerability and depth, showing us a boy who’s trying to live up to the standards of the absent father as the only boy in the family. It’s raw, honest and has a lot of light and shade.

Christopher Laishley deserves significant praise for his versatility, playing multiple characters so convincingly that it feels like a much larger cast. He has some wonderfully

different characters to play, and each time captivated us with their truthfulness and believability. Alongside him, Emma Rowe as Bobby and Anya Burlton as Phyllis create a delightful contrast as sisters. Emma gives Bobby a sensible, grounded presence, while Anya clearly has a lot of fun with Phyllis’s more playful side.

And it would be amiss to forget Jay Olpin, who brings wonderful comic timing from his experience in The Play That Goes Wrong. His comedic flair isn’t lost on the children in

the audience, who clearly enjoy every appearance he makes as Perks. On opening night,

some improv from an enthusiastic group of Brownies watching tested his character and likability, but his interactions add a lovely layer of charm and emphasise the show’s family-friendly spirit and intention.

Beyond the performances, the technical elements play a crucial role. Nat Green’s lighting design proves that sometimes simple effects (like gobos for leaf patterns or the suggestion of a railway line) can be incredibly effective. The set design is simple but

versatile, working hand-in-hand with the lighting to create quick transitions without heavy scenery. The frequency of push and pull items for actors did slow things down, but it is almost impossible to remove this default in a small space and with a small company.

On the sound front, Nick Gilbert’s design at times complements the performances well, though occasionally the underscoring stretches scenes out a bit. Sometimes the coordination between sound, lighting, and direction could use a little polish, but these are small bumps in what is otherwise a charming, heartwarming production.

The cast and crew should be proud of their achievement, and the strong ensemble performances truly earn high praise for this production. It’s a lovely Christmas show that brings a classic story to life with plenty of heart - fuelled by a stellar cast, this is a great evening of nostalgia.

The Railway Children plays at the Theatre at The Tabard until January 3rd

For tickets and information visit https://tabard.org.uk/whats-on/the-railway-children/

Photos by Matt Hunter