★★★★
The musical that dominated the second half of 2024 for me was Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Starlight Express’ at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. The highly anticipated revival sent social media crazy in the Spring, when a photograph of the new purpose-built arena was shared online. There was a buzz from theatre fans of all ages: people who had seen the original London production and others like myself who hadn’t, but were excited to finally see the show for themselves. I had the chance to watch ‘Starlight Express’ in both August and November, and it has quickly become one of my favourite musicals in London.
A piece of its time
It goes without saying that this is absolutely a 1980s era musical and the plot is incredibly random for anyone unfamiliar with the story. To put it simply, a young child known as ‘Control’ plays with their toy trains and at nighttime when they are dreaming, the trains compete in a series of races in the sky. The vehicles are made up of varying fuel engines, freight, dining cars and more, with the rivalries really heating up and forcing Rusty the steam train (Jeevan Braich) to consider whether steam can still compare to any of the newer engines. Even though the show centres on trains, at its heart it is a story of self belief and acceptance, which has been transported to a completely unique setting.
In my opinion, the musical doesn’t have a strong book, but what the narrative lacks, it more than makes up for in the incredible roller skating, catchy music, lively characters and high production value. I also think with ‘Starlight Express’ because it is all about childhood imagination, it doesn’t need to be this incredible exploratory story and consequently, the writing doesn’t make the production any less enjoyable.
Inspired costumes
Gabriella Slade, the creative genius behind ‘SIX’ and ‘The Cher Show’ has created some exquisite costumes for the show that perfectly capture each of the characters’ personalities. Each vehicle has been represented by specific colours and patterns in the fabrics, that when positioned alongside each other come together to form a cohesive set. The designs are futuristic, fitting with the starlight setting and in some ways they almost look mechanical, hitting home the point that these characters are trains.
A truly immersive set
From the minute you walk into the auditorium, you can’t help but feel part of Tim Hatley’s exciting set design. It is spectacular in a stationary layout ahead of the performance, but when the elevated planets and story come to life, it takes on a whole new, almost otherworldly form. The way Tim has been able to bring this impossible location to life and also make it work for the roller skating requirements is nothing short of impressive.
A visual spectacle for all ages
The book might not be perfect, but this production was one of my favourites of 2024. It has everything I adore about theatre, from extravagant set design to dynamic costumes and a memorable score. You can catch ‘Starlight Express’ at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre until 26th October 2025, with tickets available via the show’s website. A visit to the Starlight Auditorium would make a brilliant day out at the theatre for all ages.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
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