Starlight Express

Very occasionally a show comes along that stuns the world of musical theatre. Fairly recently it was Hamilton that sent shockwaves out when it opened at the Victoria Palace in 2017, and, way back in 1984, the same thing happened when Starlight Express opened across the road at the Apollo Victoria.

Now, Starlight Express is back, and it is just as thrilling and entertaining as it always was – with a couple of caveats. Firstly, health and safety laws have changed in the last 40 years and so some of the most dangerous stuff is gone but, having said that, there are still plenty of visually stunning and dramatic events in the new production. Secondly, The Starlight Auditorium is half the size of the Apollo Victoria which means, although scaled down a bit, the action is very much closer, with many in the audience able to “feel the wind” as the skaters zoom past in very close proximity!

Yes, skaters, because, in case you didn’t get to see the original production before it closed in 2002, almost the entire cast are on roller skates. Telling the story of a child’s train set that, overnight, comes to life for The World Championship Races, we have before us locomotives, passenger carriages and freight trucks, each with its own name and distinct personality.

Starting in that child’s bedroom, with the child playing the role of Control, it isn’t long before we get to meet the locomotives that will take part in three fast-paced and action-packed races. The “International” engines of the past have been replaced with Blue Lightning (Jessica Vaux), Green Arrow (Asher Forth), Golden Eagle (David Peter Brown), Silver Bullet (Oscar Kong) and Orange Flash (Marianthe Panas). They race with the three main locomotive characters Greaseball the Diesel Train and current champion (Al Knott), Electra the Electric Train and new kid on the block (Tom Pigram) and Rusty the Steam Engine who is obsolete, disillusioned and very much the audience’s favourite (Jeevan Braich). The final engine we meet is Momma (Jade Marvin), an older and wiser steam train who was a champion once, and holds a very special secret close to her heart.

The passenger carriages are Dinah (Eve Humphrey), Belle (played at this performance by Bethany Rose Lythgoe), Tassita (Renz Cardenas) and the brand-new coach, Pearl (played at this performance by Ashlyn Weekes). They are joined by, and competing with, the all-new freight trucks Slick (Emily Martinez), Lumber (Harrison Peterkin), Porter (Lewis Kidd) and Hydra (Jaydon Vijn).

The remaining cast members are Electra’s “components”, Volta (Ollie Augustin), Joule (Catherine Cornwall), Wrench (Lilianna Hendy) and Killerwatt (Pablo Gomez Jones), and two extremely talented stunt scooter riders, who form part of the Race Marshall team.

I name the entire cast for one simple reason – they are all simply sensational and very obviously having the time of their lives. Despite some exhausting skating throughout the show, songs are delivered clearly and all the sound issues that dogged the production of Newsies at this venue have gone. Add to that the excitement of racing tracks that divide the audience into several smaller sections, spectacular lighting design, crystal-clear video screens together with some unexpected special effects and what you get is a truly unique theatrical production.

Another thing to note about this revival, 40 years after the original, and 32 years after it was “updated”, is that most of the songs, and original lyrics, remain intact. There is one new song, the girl-power anthem “I Am Me” (which appears to sample a riff borrowed from Whistle Down the Wind) and some of the outdated lyrics have been replaced, but it is surprising, and reassuring, to hear so much that is recognisable including “Rolling Stock”, “AC/DC”, “Pumping Iron” and, of course, the title song.

The plot is another thing that remains largely intact although, in this version, the role of Control (played at this performance by Arabella Stanton) has been very much expanded and, instead of just being a disembodied voice at the opening of the show, they play quite a pivotal role throughout the piece.

It is very difficult to describe accurately the palpable feeling of excitement that permeates through the auditorium, both from those who saw the original production and can’t wait to see the 21st century version, and from those too young to have seen the original and who have just heard tales of exactly how amazing it was but, as the lights dim and the child pretends to fall asleep, we are all heading out on the most amazing journey.

There will never be another show like Starlight Express. Many thought that we would never see it again after 2002, but here it is, revamped, restaged and reworked but, thankfully, its beating heart is just as strong as it always was, and it’s that heart that will keep the show running well into the future.

This show was reviewed on the 28th June 2024 at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre where it is booking through until February 2025.  Tickets available here: Starlight Express • London (starlightexpresslondon.com)

***** stars

Paul Scott

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Photo credit: Pamela Raith