The Market Deeping Model Railway Club Review: a spotlight on wokeness and aged men derails its purpose
- Jack Davey
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
10 July 2026 I 19:00 I Nottingham Playhouse
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If you live beyond the East Midlands, this true-to-life story may be less familiar. However, I invite you to cast your mind back to 2019, when a Lincolnshire group of model railway enthusiasts had their exhibition destroyed by vandals, worth thousands of pounds. This is brought to the Nottingham Playhouse stage in The Market Deeping Model Railway Club, written by William (Billy) Ivory. Not the catchiest title, but certainly makes an impression.
The act of mindless vandalism caused such public outrage that the story reached news headlines across the UK. It encouraged over £100,000 worth in public donations, including £10,000 from Sir Rod Stewart, who shares the same passion for miniature railways. Adapting this niche story for theatre, older men become the subject of this relatively low-stakes comedy-drama that explores friendship and British eccentricity.
Ivory's script doesn't quite sit tonally right with me. Its venture into comedy relies on laughing at characters because of their age, using the 'elderly' trope to get easy laughs. To give example, the 85 year-old Geoffrey Beevers say the c-word, which receives an instant round of applause. The most emotional investment however is found in Linda (Lucy Briers), the only actress in the cast. She speaks on feeling invisible and side-lined as an older woman, touching on the honesty of ageing more maturely than the vulgar, health-related gags from the men. This tenderness bleeds into her relationship with chairman Graham (Adrian Scarborough), each confident in their building of character.
Jerry (Paul Bradley, of EastEnders fame) is a clear standout, earnt through Bradley's highly unpredictable acting style. In the first act, Jerry unknowingly consumes MDMA/ecstasy instead of medicinal pills, which is bizarre yet entertaining.
Some character backgrounds are left unresolved including Chris' (Matt Bardock), whose estranged son feels initially pivotal until soon forgotten. Bardock's immersion into the role is outstanding, crafting a headstrong and intimidating hardman who occasionally interjects with racist, anti-woke ideologies. As part of an (initially) all-white club, traditions and biases are tested.
One line that really stuck in my head following the show comes from Jerry which, to paraphrase, is that despite being 'old, white men, we still matter'. It's a conversation not-so often addressed in theatre, however with only two actors onstage and semi-directed to the audience, it lingers as if it were a motif for the piece. For centuries, men have consistently imposed themselves on society. I left the theatre with this message, and the importance of aged, white men is not something that audiences need a reminder of.
It's always a pleasure to see Soutra Gilmour attached to a project. And tonight, her visual design is like a chameleon, as the walls of the space contract and expand to resemble an attic, the club's function room and a sports hall. Due to its complexity, transitions can be quite lengthy. Jon Driscoll's projection designs attempt to amuse, with model trains mapped along the walls of the stage. A highlight is in Act Two, where real photography from the vandalised exhibit is shown (to Bob Dylan's Idiot Wind). We are reminded of its reality, and it crucially pulls at the heartstrings.
Comedian Babatunde Aléshé stars as the new, youngest member of the group: Jordan. There isn't a lot to Jordan's personality beyond the stereotypes of a partying, social media-loving youngster, although Aléshé's energy really light up the scenes he features in. The build up to the vandalism is slow, which happens at the end of Act One. It is the key anchor to the production, where other scenes can feel like filler.
I have seen others mention that the title The Market Deeping Model Railway Club has put them off booking, although its focus is far from the model railway hobby. Directed by Adam Penford, Ivory's debut concerns itself more with the place of white men in society. It knows its identity, including a train related soundtrack (Theme from S'Express), however the script's reliance on anti-wokeness makes it difficult to support the principal club members. Some lines stick with me beyond the curtain call (which features the real Woodcroft display, built over 25 years by the late David Smith), taking home a tired message of aged men's importance.
Tickets and Booking Information: https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/the-market-deeping-model-railway-club/
