Latest news with #TheRailwayChildren
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
City of Sanctuary themes in new version of children's classic
THE beloved story of The Railway Children has been re-imagined for Bradford's City of Culture year, with a British-Indian family at the heart of the story. A special adaptation of Mike Kenny's Olivier award-winning stage production of E Nesbit's children's classic opens next week on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway - the location of the much-loved 1970 film. Drawing on the story's themes of exile, compassion and kindness, Stand & Be Counted Theatre - an Associate Company of Bradford 2025 - is working with people seeking sanctuary to create a scene-setting audio experience for audiences as they journey to the show on the heritage railway. Audiences will board a steam train at Keighley station before watching the performance in an engine shed at Oxenhope station. The show features a real steam engine. The children move from wealthy Edwardian London to rural Yorkshire and find hope and friendship on the railway Stand & Be Counted Theatre - the UK's first Theatre Company of Sanctuary - co-creates work with and for people seeking sanctuary. Bradford, a City of Sanctuary since 2010, also received a designation of Cultural City of Sanctuary this year. Rosie MacPherson, Artistic Director and Joint CEO of Stand & Be Counted Theatre, says: "The Railway Children is a global story about new beginnings and creating a new home together, with themes that will resonate deeply with people of Bradford as a City of Sanctuary. Our Soap Box Collective, a group for young adults from all over the world who now call Bradford home, have been working hard to create an interactive audio experience to welcome passengers aboard the steam train!" Says Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, Bradford 2025: 'The Railway Children is about a family needing to move to somewhere unfamiliar, children coping with separation from a parent, and how people and places are connected and affected by global events. Our version, while keeping the original story and setting in 1905, is really going to heighten these themes, as our British-Indian family have journeyed even further than before to reach this small Yorkshire village. 'The genius of E Nesbit's novel, and Mike Kenny's adaptation, is to see big themes like exile, separation and unjust imprisonment from the perspective of three children just starting to understand the adult world." The cast of The Railway Children at Oxenhope Station Director Damian Cruden adds: 'Bradford is a wonderful example of a city that has welcomed people throughout its history, and this theme of welcome and global connection resonates through The Railway Children." Noel Hartley, KWVR Business and Operations Manager, says: 'We're delighted to be hosting this fantastic show during this special year. Our railway has been the home of The Railway Children since the 1960s, it's really special for the show to be held where it began on screen." Paul Crewes, CEO, York Theatre Royal, says: 'We are thrilled to be working with Bradford 2025 on this unique restaging of York Theatre Royal's award-winning production of The Railway Children. "The beautiful setting of Oxenhope Railway station will be such a wonderful backdrop for this classic story. Joyous, moving and above all, fun, we can't wait for audiences to have another opportunity to see the show as part of Bradford's year as UK City of Culture.' * The Railway Children is at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway from July 15 to September 7. Visit
BBC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bradford 2025 The Railway Children show features real steam train
A unique performance of The Railway Children will see audience members transported to the early 1900s and board an actual steam train, as part of Bradford's UK City of Culture celebrations. The stage adaptation of the classic children's novel will feature a locomotive that travels through the middle of the show begins when ticket-holders board the train at Keighley Station and then travel the full length of the historic Keighley and Worth Valley Railway - the five-mile route which featured in the 1970 film adaptation of the they reach the end of the line at Oxenhope they will find a purpose-built auditorium within the station's engine shed. Edith Nesbit's novel, published in 1906, tells the story of three children whose lives change dramatically after they move from a comfortable townhouse to a small Yorkshire cottage near a railway Hawley, who plays Mr Perks in the show, said it was "amazing" to bring the show to Bradford."The space is incredible, with a train track running through it, the audience are inches away from you - it's a beautiful piece of work," he Ashraf, who plays eldest child Roberta, agreed the show was about "really establishing a relationship with the audience" who will be "literally here in the space with us". "It's talking to them, looking at them, I'm excited for them to experience what that's like," she added. The production is directed by Damian Cruden - whose previous productions at the National Railway Museum in York and London Waterloo Station earned widespread this year thousands of young people applied to be cast members after the organisers of Bradford's City of Culture launched a search for around 30 children aged eight to 15 to take part in the call said no prior acting experience was needed to join a community ensemble cast, "just confidence, enthusiasm, and a love for performing". The play runs between 15 July and 7 September and is a co-production between the York Theatre Royal and Bradford 2025. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Metro
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Crying for more: readers react to the weepiest film moments list
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments. That was a very interesting list of the 'Weepiest film moments of bawl time' (Metro, Fri) – and I wouldn't argue at all. I'm from the older generation though and my own personal pick would simply have to be a Walt Disney movie that was released in 1957, when I was ten-years-old. It was the movie Old Yeller and the scene which made me cry (and many others in the Studio 2 cinema on Oxford Street) came when the young lad Travis (Tommy Kirk) had to shoot his dear dog, after it had caught rabies. I'm sure many others in my age group, the late 70s, will recall that moment, too. The main star in the movie was Fess Parker who many will remember as Davy Crockett. Mike Bondy, London I would say the Samsung weepy movies poll left two films out. Firstly, The Railway Children made by Lionel Jeffries. The scene at the railway station is first class. The camera is slow. The reaction of Jenny Agutter seeing her father and her cry of joy still brings a lump to the throat. Secondly, One Life. This is the story of Sir Nicholas Winton. The scene where he appears on That's Life for the second time is very moving. He discovers that the woman sitting next to him is someone he saved. The actress playing Esther Rantzen asks if there is anyone else in the audience whose life he has saved and for them to stand up. The entire audience stands up. Sir Anthony Hopkins, who is playing Sir Nicholas, stands and looks at the audience. For a brief moment, this really is Sir Nicholas. What makes the scene even more poignant is that every member of the audience is a child or grandchild of the children Sir Nicholas rescued. Chas Kenny, Essex I was surprised to see that Titanic was voted the top tear-jerker finale, as The Notebook was clearly the best. I'm a little old and remember crying at the start of The Last Snows Of Spring when I saw it at the pictures, too. Lorraine Hassan, via email The list of film tear-jerkers is a complete joke. Nothing earlier than 1982 – are any of the voters aware of what came before? I would place the end of Chaplin's City Lights (1931) in the top spot and his Modern Times (1936) not far behind. There's also the magnificent Brief Encounter (1945). How could anyone omit that? And director Leo McCarey's 1937 film Make Way for Tomorrow inspired Orson Welles to declare, 'It would make a stone cry'. Elia Kazan's A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1945) pierces the heart with wistful sadness. Then there are foreign language classics: De Sica's gut-wrenching Umberto D of 1952, Fellini's 1954 offering La Strada (that ending gets me every time!), Demy's poignant Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (1964) and Ku-rosawa's haunting Ikiru (1952). The list goes on. How can you compile a rundown of the best movie moments to make you bawl your eyes out if you more or less ignore 70 per cent of cinema history? Maybe some of those in the listing deserve a placing, but certainly not all of them. William Barklam, Kent Charles EL Gilman (MetroTalk, Fri) is wrong to suggest that Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle should be left empty. Both are fully functioning State buildings and have been part of the UKs history for a very long time. More Trending Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the UK's Head of State as the White House is for America's Head of State. He talks of Henry VIII being a monster. What in fact Henry was was the sole leader of England and as such he was personally responsible for the security, peace and prosperity of a whole nation. He had to do everything he could to keep the country together and not let it be split asunder again by rival political and religious groups. We cannot judge a 16th-century absolute monarch by today's idea of what is good or bad behaviour. D Turberman, London I stood in line outside the shop for ages the other day, I was waiting to get my hair cut. Never mind I thought, it's a lovely day for a barber queue. John Coyne, Leeds MORE: 'Surreal' explosion as plane crashes moments after takeoff at Southend Airport MORE: Three in five Brits 'wouldn't even trust Starmer or Farage to watch their bag' MORE: Transfer raid on Manchester City can raise spirits at Nottingham Forest
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bradford City of Culture year hits half-way mark
The start of July has marked the half-way point of Bradford's year as 2025 UK City of far, the city has been treated to a whole series of special events, including a live performance from hometown magician Stephen Frayne, art exhibitions across the district and a para-orchestra marching through the organisers have promised there is still much more to come in the second half of the year, including more live music, a food festival and the prestigious Turner Prize are just some of the highlights due to take place in Bradford over the coming months: The Railway Children A stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's classic novel The Railway Children will be performed at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway from 15 July until 7 heritage line runs steam and diesel trains through the countryside and became famous when it appeared in the 1970 film version of The Railway will take place twice a day between Wednesdays and Sundays, with tickets costing from £15. BBC Proms Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo will present a special concert in Bradford as part of BBC Beninese-French singer-songwriter will perform at St George's Hall on 7 September, with standing tickets costing from £8 and those for the stalls costing from £18. World Curry Festival The UK's curry capital is hosting the World Curry Festival between 15 and 30 and and line-up will be announced soon, according to the City of Culture team. Turner Prize The Turner Prize, an annual award for contemporary visual art, is awarded to a British artist, or one working primarily in Britain, for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the preceding by the shortlisted artists – Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa – will feature at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery from 27 September. The winner will then be announced in Bradford on 9 December. The CBeebies Panto The CBeebies annual panto be recorded at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford on 11 and 12 October. Most tickets are sold out for the production of Cinderella, but there a few seats left for the 16:30 BST show on 11 October. Other highlights Loaded Laughs have two stand-up comedy events coming up at The Beacon in July and Loading Bay in AugustBD: Festival returns for a two-day takeover in the city centre on 25 and 26 JulyShadmanny, a festival celebrating South Asian wedding culture, takes place on 10 AugustFilms such as Everybody Talks About Jamie and Sexy Beast will be at the open-air cinema at Ilkley LidoNumerous performances, including those by the likes of Bill Bailey, Rob Brydon and Jo Whiley, will take place at the new Bradford Live venue Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bradford City of Culture year hits half-way mark - with more to come
The start of July has marked the half-way point of Bradford's year as 2025 UK City of Culture. So far, the city has been treated to a whole series of special events, including a live performance from hometown magician Stephen Frayne, art exhibitions across the district and a para-orchestra marching through the city. However, organisers have promised there is still much more to come in the second half of the year, including more live music, a food festival and the prestigious Turner Prize exhibition. These are just some of the highlights due to take place in Bradford over the coming months: A stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's classic novel The Railway Children will be performed at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway from 15 July until 7 September. The heritage line runs steam and diesel trains through the countryside and became famous when it appeared in the 1970 film version of The Railway Children. Performances will take place twice a day between Wednesdays and Sundays, with tickets costing from £15. Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo will present a special concert in Bradford as part of BBC Proms. The Beninese-French singer-songwriter will perform at St George's Hall on 7 September, with standing tickets costing from £8 and those for the stalls costing from £18. The UK's curry capital is hosting the World Curry Festival between 15 and 30 September. Venues and and line-up will be announced soon, according to the City of Culture team. The Turner Prize, an annual award for contemporary visual art, is awarded to a British artist, or one working primarily in Britain, for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the preceding year. Artwork by the shortlisted artists – Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa – will feature at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery from 27 September. The winner will then be announced in Bradford on 9 December. The CBeebies annual panto be recorded at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford on 11 and 12 October. Most tickets are sold out for the production of Cinderella, but there a few seats left for the 16:30 BST show on 11 October. Loaded Laughs have two stand-up comedy events coming up at The Beacon in July and Loading Bay in August BD: Festival returns for a two-day takeover in the city centre on 25 and 26 July Shadmanny, a festival celebrating South Asian wedding culture, takes place on 10 August Films such as Everybody Talks About Jamie and Sexy Beast will be at the open-air cinema at Ilkley Lido Numerous performances, including those by the likes of Bill Bailey, Rob Brydon and Jo Whiley, will take place at the new Bradford Live venue Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. 'I'm visiting Bradford for City of Culture and I'm blown away' Line-up announced for BD: Festival 2025 Statues come to life in City of Culture parade 'Landmark' tower unveiling for Bradford sculptor City of Culture unveils projects to improve health Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture
