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Joanna Scotcher
The Railway Children

Author: Joanna Scotcher

Performance space: The abandoned Eurostar Terminal, Waterloo

Theatre company/company produced for: The Touring Consortium & York Theatre Royal

Month & year of original production: July

Description of items intended for exhibition:
Model
Drawing

Project description:
We were inspired by the energy of journeys. Not only those of the characters' emotions, but equally by the emotive experience of travel itself, the sentiment that lies at the heart of the steam age. The joy of this process was the freedom to look at a disused space anew, recapturing the experience of passengers who once hurtled through the building and translating that expectation into a vehicle to carry our own narrative forward.

As if waiting for a train themselves, the audience were positioned on platforms either side of the track. The scenes unfolded through the choreographed movements of the central rolling trucks, which were continuously shunted and pulled through the entire length of the theatre.

From a cavernous, empty terminal space we were able to breathe new life back into this forgotten environment.

Winner of Best Entertainment Olivier Awards 2011 & Best Set Designer whatsonstage Awards 2011.

Artform:
Performance Design
Set Design
Installation

Designers:
Set designer: Joanna Scotcher
Costume designer: Joanna Scotcher
Lighting designer: Richard G Jones
Director/choreographer: Damian Cruden

Image gallery

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

Costume designs
Moth, Phylis, Bobby, Peter and Mr. Perks

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

Design drawing
Initial sketch of Oakworth Station

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

Eurostar Terminal, Waterloo
Work begins on site at the abandoned Eurostar platforms. Photo by James Bullimore

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

Night time arrival in Yorkshire.
From platform one we look down at the station window and footbridge that spans the station train track. Photo by Simon Annand

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

The presentation for bravery
Photo by Simon Annand

Joanna Scotcher - The Railway Children

Father returns
The closing scene where Father emerges from the steam and is reunited with Bobby. Photo by Simon Annand

Other media