Dauntsey’s performs The Railway Children

Pupils from the Lower School at Dauntsey’s have staged an entertaining and moving production of The Railway Children. An adaptation of the classic story written by E. Nesbit, The Railway Children was originally performed in 2008 in association with the National Railway Museum. It is famed for its reveal of a real train engine in performance locations such as Waterloo and London Kings Cross stations, and Dauntsey's rose to the challenge of creating its own life-size train.

The production stayed true to the original story and play, set in 1906 and on a traverse stage – the audience was able to look down upon both sides of the lit tracks as the ensemble began their literal journey, to Britten and Auden's ‘Night Mail’.

Charlotte Saville, Drama Teacher at Dauntsey’s, said:

‘There were many stand-out performances, including the six pupils who played younger and older versions of the three child characters – Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis – and led the cast wonderfully. The bittersweet plot-line was drawn out through moments of comedy and melancholy – not least when their father is taken away.

‘The cast were exceptional: expressive, energetic and highly collaborative; allowing the audience to go on both their physical journey of moving home and, of course, many trips to the railway; and their emotional journey as the children fought to free their father and become reunited with him.’