Starlight Express is one of the most unique musicals ever staged. It's simple story of the downtrodden steam train Rusty taking on the all powerful (and frankly not very nice) diesel and electric locomotives for the railroad championship of the world belies its pioneering and problematic staging. Critics were not very welcoming when the show debuted in 1984, but audiences responded by going in their droves making the original production of Starlight Express the ninth longest running show in West End history.
The show has been waiting in the sidings for 22 years, but now makes a triumphant return to London at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, where fans old and new are flocking to see this good versus bad tale on wheels all over again. Now we know our Starlight. Having seen the original production many times, as well as the Broadway Production, the legendary long running production in Bochum, Germany (our favourite version and still going) and the slightly underwhelming scaled down UK tours, we were as keen as mustard to see what director Luke Shepperd has cooked up.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has a penchant for tinkering with his shows, and no show has been more tinkered with than Starlight Express. Songs have come and gone with regularity and each new production seems to have a unique song list. The 2024 version is no different. We have two new songs from Lloyd Webber and his lyricist, the brilliant Richard Stilgoe, in the form of 'I Am Me' and 'Hydrogen', the theme of the new engine. They are blended in seemlessly to the rest of the familiar score, the master of musical ear-worms once again making sure our heads are whirling with his melodies as we leave the theatre.
The current financial climate means that 1980s mega excess is out, so instead we have simply excess. The designer Tim Hatley has taken the nucleus of John Napier's original version and given us a railroad race circuit which takes in much of the theatre space, and we once again have a setting in which children and adults alike can wallow in the sheer spectacle of the races. This is brilliantly complimented by lighting design by Howard Hudson, which any rock act would kill for. In addition projection screens bathe the auditorium in atmosphere and keep us abreast of the racing. It's a thrilling environment as we enter into the immersive world that was so pioneering in theatre all those years ago.
The mostly young cast smash it from the get go. The action takes place in the imagination of a child (just a disembodied voice in previous productions) who we see at the beginning playing with a train set, the trains magically come to life as the story gets underway, the child becomes 'Control' overseeing all the trains and acting as an arbiter between warring factions, rarely leaving the stage. Central to the show is poor Rusty, played superbly by Jeevan Braich who like so many in this company is making his professional debut. Al Knot is Greaseball, the diesel locomotive who is the reigning champion. Knot possesses a fine voice, and manages to belt out signature tracks 'Rolling Stock' and 'Pumping Iron' with relish. Then there is Tom Pigram's gender fluid Electra, all neon and sassy power surges whilst Jade Marvin makes a lovely homely Momma, in which we can all associate. And she sings the blues like an angel too. It seems churlish to pick out individual performances though, as its very much an ensemble piece. Each member of the company adding their character to flesh out this world of trains. The voices and band are are just sensational, We love a bit of loud pop and we get it in spades with this show. Highlights for me include the love duet 'I Do' by Braich and Kayna Montecillo as Pearl (it was actually written by Lloyd Webber's son Alistair!) and the carriages feminist anthem 'I Am Me' (Montecillo, Eve Humphrey, Ashlyn Weekes, Renz Cardenas). All the ensemble numbers are a knockout though. If you can get the refrain "It's not a matter of if, its a matter of when for Hydrogen" out of your head on the way home you will be very lucky.
Looking around the auditorium, kids faces were aglow with the sheer energy on the stage and on the track. It is clear that Starlight Express is bewitching a new generation of theatre goers, who will love and cherish the experience like their Mums and Dads did all those years ago. The show is critic proof, the public have spoken. Starlight Express is a fantasy tonic we all need, it's good to have it back.
Rob & Ian
Tickets and information at the STARLIGHT EXPRESS LONDON website.
Incidentally, here is an old blog by Rob on the various recorded versions of Starlight Express over the years FOR THE RECORD: STARLIGHT EXPRESS Lets hope a new album of the 2024 version is available soon, please Mr. Lloyd Webber?
