The Signalman – Floral Pavilion

As someone who spends a lot of their life on trains, I’ve always wondered what happened in the old signal boxes along the routes… not so much anymore!

The Signalman has been adapted for the stage from the short story by Charles Dickens, by Francis Evelyn. With the book only being 30 pages, Evelyn managed to create a 2-act play from it, while still keeping the Dickens essence in it. It tells the story of a signalman in the 1880s, who is rigorous in his routines, being visited by a traveller and them sharing their stories. The signalman is adamant that he is visited by a Spirit, that foretells of a dangerous event occurring – train crashes, women falling to their deaths from trains and so on… It is comprised of a small cast of actors and relies on clever tricks, to convey the presence of the spirit.

The signalman was portrayed by Chris Walker, who lead the cast and managed at times to convey the characters feelings and emotions without having to even say a word. You could tell he was afraid of the possibility of an other-worldly being and pouring his soul and telling his story to the traveller was a relief for him. John Burton was the traveller to Walker’s signalman, and he gave Sherlock Holmes vibes with his coat and precise traits. We saw less into his life and lifestyle, but it was clear to see that this was a man who cared and wanted to help someone he saw as troubled. He had a weight and lots of responsibility put onto his shoulders at the end of Act 2, and Burton was great at portraying the range of emotions and feelings that the character was having. The cast was rounded off by Bruce Chattan (Innkeeper), James Morely (Inspector) and Adam Mort as Tom. These characters only appeared in small fits and starts, but all of them kept us in the era and setting of the story.

Michael Lunney as director and designer had a clear vision with this production and it was well portrayed by the actors. We, as the audience were fully aware of the time period and setting of the play and the special effects, used to portray the spirit, were definitely a crowd-pleaser! Especially the way that act 1 ended. The special effects were also helped along by lighting designer Bob Hodges who effectively showed trains passing through the tunnels and had flickering lights throughout. The music by Lynette Webster added to the spookier feeling and kept the audience on their toes.

This is the perfect show for people who love The Woman in Black, all things spooky and the occult. It is a perfect night out, especially around Halloween – even if I’m not sure I’ll ever trust trains and signals again!

Reviewer: Jenn McKean

Reviewed: 23^rd October 2025

North West End UK Rating: