Theatrical producer Rob Richardson isn’t shovelling coal when he says that Roundhouse Park is the best site in North America for the debut of British hit show, The Railway Children. With its turntable track changer and ample green space, Roundhouse Park has everything the play needed to permit the erection of a giant white tent into which an old-fashioned steam engine could be pulled and withdrawn at critical points during the show.
The train in question is a 200-plus year old locomotive nicknamed Vicky, which was shipped by sea from the U.K. to Montreal and then by truck to Toronto. Together with her coal tender, Vicky tips the scale at 86 tons, an incredible load for a site that stands directly above the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Sorting out the load-bearing capacity of the site was one of Richardson’s first orders of business when David Mirvish approached him last year about the possibility of bringing The Railway Children to Toronto. The show is part of the Mirvish subscription package but the company is not directly involved with the production of the show. Richardson’s company, Marquis Entertainment, was responsible for virtually all of the local logistics.
“The site is essentially three feet of earth, a parking garage then floor after floor of Metro Toronto Convention Centre,” notes Richardson. “Engaging the engineer who oversaw the building of the site was the smartest thing we did. It allowed us to know all the pre-existing issues with the site.”
“When David called, I had heard of the show like anyone who follows the theatre because it got such great attention in the U.K. I’ve worked on this show full-time, non-stop for seven months and I’m so excited that we’re finally ready to open the doors on Tuesday.”
The “100 per cent local cast” of The Railway Children performed their final preview yesterday prior to opening night tomorrow. It’s a very satisfying piece of theatre aimed squarely at the family market.
It may look like a run-of-the-mill garden tent from the outside but stepping into Roundhouse Theatre is like being transported to a Victorian-era train station. The action unfolds along a platform-like stage with banked seating on either side. No seat is more than 20 feet from the platform and because the actors engage directly with the audience, the theatrical experience is quite immersive.
Written by England’s Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children was first published as a serial in London Magazine in 1905 and later compiled into book form.
“It’s an iconic title in the UK,” notes Richardson, “it’s almost like their Sound of Music and it’s particularly popular around the holiday time. Here it’s known within a very particular group of theatre lovers but I’m sure that once it opens and word gets out it will really take off. We’re feeling very confident about that.”
Adds Richardson: “For me personally, opening night of this show will be the proudest moment of my professional career.”
WHERE/WHEN: The Railway Children at Roundhouse Theatre (base of CN Tower) Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm, tickets $25 – $99.
Photos: Portrait of Rob Richardson by Christopher Jones; stage stills by Cylla von Tiedemann
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