In a surprise turn of events, train drivers across 16 operators in England announced Wednesday they will be conducting a live reenactment of the well-loved parable: The Tortoise and The Hare. The play, set to take place on the tracks, coincides with the final day of the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Despite the inconvenience, spectacle-hungry commuters are bracing themselves not only for the transportation delays but also for the event’s philosophical undertones. Members from the train drivers' union Aslef are embracing the Hare's role with enthusiasm, suddenly deciding to take a rest mid-work, embodying the spirit of a transportation strike unravelled in real life. The audacious play, stirring a bitter wintry whirlwind around disputes over pay, conditions, and now, live drama productions, will surely push the limits of creativity in picket lines. In line with the theme, train services across the country are expected to move at an approximated tortoise speed, starting later, finishing earlier, and entirely missing in some parts of the country. The lead tortoise, aka the solitary train on duty, may be spotted occasionally but warns that hare sightings, or rather, occurrences of swift and reliable transport, will be rare if not mythical. Sally Slowcoach, a representative for the drivers' union Aslef, explained the symbolic significance of the event, saying, "Just as the tortoise in Aesop's parable teaches us the value of perseverance and the dangers of arrogance, we are striving to convey the importance of fair pay and working conditions through our own rendition." The Conservative Party, playing an unwitting part in the spectacle as the sleeping hare, remains blissfully unaware of the comprehensively disrupted transportation schedules. Undoubtedly, the unexpected reenactment throws yet another curveball to the commuters who now face delays, reduced services, and existential questions straight from children’s fables. British humour, it seems, is not just reserved for the pubs and Brexit negotiations, but also surprise enactments on the railway lines. Operators including Ava have added their own twist to the story, warning of no services whatsoever. Whether this is a plot device showing the disappearance of the hare mid-race, or another allegory for ‘disappearing workers’ rights’ remains to be seen. As the parable-inspired strike sets in, passengers are following suit, preparing to ride bikes, run, or adapt any other Hare and Tortoise tactics in the hopes of getting to their destinations –or at least getting as much amusement as they can in the midst of the disruption.