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ArtsceneActors hit the tracks in The Railway ChildrenBy Dominik KurekThere's really subtle undertones of OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFsocial and class discrimination, whichare dealt with. And they're dealt withFor Oakville actor Craig Warnock, his new roleathrough the innocence of a child.t TorontosThe Railway Childrenis a departurefrom his norm.The 38-year-old father of three said hes used toCraig Warnock,doing the boy-next-door roles.The Railway Children actorIm making a transition because of the fatherthing. Ive started to put some of my age into it.educated Warnock said he chose to perform inIve fallen into a different category now, Warnockthe play for various reasons, including itssaid.subtle social messages.The actor is recognizable for roles such as aThe reason why I chose to do the project, Iworn out rock star in CTVsInstant Star alongread the script and theres really subtle under-with roles in major productions that includetones of social and class discrimination, whichCinderella ManandEarth: Final Conflict.are dealt with. And theyre dealt with throughNow, he is playing Mr. Perks in the Mirvishthe innocence of a child, he said.Productions play, taking place inside a makeshiftGiven the upbringing that Ive had invenue built at the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre,Belfast, in Ireland, I always believe the issuesjust under the CN Tower.they had in Ireland werent Catholic andWarnock is also one of two Oakvillians in theProtestant, but were more to do with gerry-show. He is joined by Oakville born, nine-year-oldmandering, which is class discrimination, richCarolina Lauren Martinez, who plays, one of Mr.and poor, divide and conquer. I thought thisPerks children, Davina. She is part of an ensemblewas a very subtle message that could be told,of 40 children aged nine to 16, performing on awhich is what drew me to the project.rotational basis.Edith Nesbit originally wroteThe RailwayWarnock said it was easy for himself to relate toChildrenas a novel in 1906. It has been adapt-the new type of role hes doing.ed for the screen and more recently on theI have three kids myself. Perks has six, he said.stage in the UK. Now, the play opened with anI could relate from that perspective, having chil-all-Canadian cast in early May for an initial 26dren of my own. Ive sort of based the character onweek run.my grandfather, who was that kind of proud personThe theatre was built in the Roundhouseand really never wanted to be embarrassed and didPark. The stage is divided by tracks with audi-his best for his community.ence seating on both sides. An 85-tonne, vin-The proud Perks is the towns railway stationtage steam locomotive enters the theatreporter. He befriends the three children the story isthroughout the performance.about, and is known for his willingness to help oth-The story is about three well-to-do childreners, including the children who run into troublein the Edwardian era who are forced to relo-every time they try to help others.cate to a small town, in a house near the rail-The people in the community realize, as muchway, after their father is wrongly imprisoned.CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN / COURTESY OF MIRVISH PRODUCTIONSpride as you may have, these children are trying toTechnically, its all over the place, WarnockON THE RAIL:Oakville actor Craig Warnock is pictured in his role as Mr. Perks in The do their best, he said.said of the play.Railway Children, on now at the Roundhouse Theatre in Toronto.See Young page 40The Canadian-born, Irish-raised and English-www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 27, 2011 38