Off Shoots Musical Theatre Company will be presenting The Railway Children (a Musical) at Beverley Memorial Hall on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 December at 7.30pm each evening. Tickets are £8 and £6 concessions available from Time & Motion in Beverley 01482 881574.
“Off Shoots is a youth group aged from 7 to over 18, and we have all enjoyed rehearsing this musical version of a well-loved story,” said Jane Walker, leader of the group.
Everyone will remember Jenny Agutter in both films, firstly as Bobbie and then as the mother.
“We were very lucky to have the writers of the musical come and give a workshop to the group back in October. Julian Woolford (lyricist) has recently directed the touring company of Oklahoma and Richard John (composer) is the musical director of Legally Blonde.”
The music is wonderful and the story keeps really close to the original book by E Nesbitt.
Hankies will be needed for this production particularly for the “Lullaby” sung by the Szcepansky, the Russian gentleman befriended by the Railway Children family.
“Both Julian and Richard, when they were at the workshop, commented that Diego Perez, playing the Russian, sang the song far better than their original cast member (an adult). They also commented that this was the first time that a youth group have tackled this musical and the whole cast was excellent,” said Jane.
This year the group has been joined by some members of Beverley Musical Theatre which has helped considerably with the at time quite difficult harmonies.
The production is directed by Brian Hossacks from Cottingham. “It has been a great pleasure to direct my very first musical with this very talented group and I know that the audience will thoroughly enjoy this timeless classic”, said Brian.
Principals include: Russell Fallon as Mr Perks, Amber Tatman as Bobbie, Zoe Jenkinson as Phyllis and Brandon Wass as Peter.
The Railway Children encounter Mr Perks’ children, played by Mary Holmes, Sophie Cockerton, Anna Lancaster and Yasmin Horner, when the Perks’ children accuse them of being “posh”. This leads into a comedy number “Posh Talk” which ends up with all the children becoming friends.
This is a show not to be missed by the family and as the opening scene starts with the family enjoying Christmas and singing “Christmas is here again”, makes it a good choice to perform just before Christmas.
Don’t miss out on this very professional youth production. Off Shoots is open to anyone from the age of 7 to over 18 and meet on Sunday afternoons in Beverley. For more information contact Jane Walker at offshootstheatre@gmail.com.
