The professional actor who will play The Railway King in a major theatrical production has been revealed. George Costigan, most recently seen in ITV’s Vera and playing Nevison Gallagher, a successful businessman whose daughter is kidnapped, in BBC drama Happy Valley, will be playing George Hudson in the York Theatre Royal, National Railway Museum and Pilot Theatre production of In Fog and Falling Snow.
The show follows in the footsteps of the huge success of the 2012 York Mystery Plays and 2013’s Blood + Chocolate but this time takes place in the National Railway Museum after hours. Telling a pivotal story in the city’s history, audiences will be taken on a journey through the museum’s collections before being seated in a purpose built theatre for the second half. It is directed by York Theatre Royal’s Artistic Director Damian Cruden, Associate Director Juliet Forster and Pilot Theatre’s Katie Posner.
Audiences will recognise George Costigan from the film Rita, Sue and Bob Too. George played Bob – a key character in the film about a working class Yorkshire life set in Bradford. George has also graced the screen in the smash hit film Calendar Girls, and Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter. Other television credits include The Arbor, A Touch of Frost and Emmerdale.
Costigan has worked with the York Theatre Royal on previous productions Death of a
Salesman and Blackbird, and also starred alongside his son Niall in A Number. Earlier this year he directed a rehearsed reading of Antony and Cleopatra, one of the last performances in the theatre before it closed for redevelopment . The night was in aid of the theatre’s capital project and raised £4,726
He said of the news
I’m thrilled to be returning to York Theatre Royal and to be working with Damian, Katie and Juliet again. York’s a very special place for me and I’m very pleased to be part of the team telling this important story of the city’s history.
Director Damian Cruden said
It’s lovely to have George back with the company and I can’t think of anyone better to work with our community in this fantastic production.
Set in 1840’s York, In Fog and Falling Snow follows George Hudson as he sets forth on his journey to build the great East Coast network at any cost. Investors, passengers and the people who built it are all played by a cast of over 200 community actors. This includes Olivia Ledden, a student at York College and Charlotte Wood, who attends All Saints sixth form in York, who will jointly play the role of George Jenkins, a rail driver’s daughter who is the only one who foresees danger ahead. The cast will be joined by a choir of 80.
The production opens on Friday 26 June and runs until Saturday 11 July. Tickets for the production are on sale now from the York Theatre Royal Box Office, located on St Leonards Place in the De Grey Rooms, by calling 01904 623568 or online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.