FATHER and son actors George and Niall Costigan have started to see more of each other lately, now that they are both appearing in stage productions in York.

From Friday, George will be playing the Railway King, George Hudson, in Mike Kenny and Bridget Foreman's community play In Fog and Falling Snow at the National Railway Museum. Since last Wednesday Niall has been starring as murder suspect Leonard Vole in Theatre Mill's revival of Agatha Christie's Witness For The Prosecution at the York Guildhall Council Chamber.

This is not the first time the father-and-son duo have spent time together in York, having played opposite each other in Caryl Churchill's two-hander A Number in the York Theatre Royal Studio in May last year.

Given that George's home has long been in France and the Costigan acting dynasty works all over the country in various theatre productions, they can find it difficult to meet up, so they will make the most of their shared days in York.

"It was all very lovely when we found out; having just moved to York myself, the timing of Witness For The Prosecution couldn't be better!" says Niall. "I knew my dad was already cast in In Fog And Falling Snow, so knowing my parents would be here too was a great bonus."

Far from seeing his son’s production as competition, George says of the situation: "With both Niall and I being actors, we work all over the place, so it can be hard to spend time with each other. Working in the same city means I get to see a lot more of my son, and I'm looking forward to seeing him perform at the York Guildhall.

"The fact that there are two such innovative productions running at the same time also demonstrates what a thriving cultural scene the city of York has to offer."

Both productions are site specific, showing off the city’s heritage. Agatha Christie’s Witness For The Prosecution has returned to the Guildhall Council Chamber after Samuel Wood's show was so well received last year. "I'm particularly excited by this play as I think that performing a courtroom drama in an actual courtroom environment will ramp up the tension for the audience in a way that a traditional theatre space wouldn’t," says Niall.

York Theatre Royal, Pilot Theatre and the National Railway Museum's In Fog And Falling Snow is following in the footsteps of the 2012 York Mystery Plays and 2013’s Blood + Chocolate, this time in the NRM after hours. Telling a pivotal story in the city’s railway history, it will take audiences on a journey through the museum’s collections before they are seated in the purpose-built Signal Box Theatre for the second half.

Will father and son catch the other's show? "Yes!" says a delighted Niall. "The wonderful scheduling means we'll get the chance to both see each other perform.”

Tickets for both plays can be booked on 01904 623568, at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or in person at the De Grey Rooms box office.