The Railway Children

Talking Scarlet’s charming family musical version of Edith Nesbit’s classic tale was warm, heartfelt and reminded me very much of when I first read the book. Unlike a lot of musical adaptations of novels, this version did not stray from the original tale. Despite the technical sound issues and nervous enthusiasm at the beginning, once the energy settled, this small but strong cast became extremely engaging to watch. Particular highlights included a comic performance from Ben Sleep as the straight talking Mr Perks, Bex Roberts as Peter, Carly Day as a cute Phyliss and Mark Hutchinson as the charming Old Gentleman.

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, 1 April 2016

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