Official Blurb: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS is now open in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Audiences will be immersed inside a world of speed, song and storytelling as an incredible cast of 40 whizz around and above, performing some of musical theatre’s most beloved songs, including AC/DC, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel and the iconic Starlight Express. As a child’s train set magically comes to life and the engines race to become the fastest in the world, Rusty the steam train has little hope of winning until he is inspired by the legend of the ‘Starlight Express’. Seen around the world by over 20 million people, STARLIGHT EXPRESS is an electrifying experience for all ages. STARLIGHT EXPRESS has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, is directed by Luke Sheppard (&Juliet, The Little Big Things), with set designer Tim Hatley (Back to the Future), costume designer Gabriella Slade (Six), lighting designer Howard Hudson (&Juliet), sound designer Gareth Owen (MJ the Musical), video designer Andrzej Goulding (Life of Pi), new orchestrations by Matthew Brind with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Musical Supervision by Matthew Brind & David Wilson, Musical Direction by Laura Bangay and Casting by Pearson Casting. With thrilling new choreography by Ashley Nottingham, STARLIGHT EXPRESS also sees the return of Arlene Phillips as creative dramaturg.
My take: I am a huge Andrew Lloyd Webber fan. We have discussed this at length in multiple parts of this blog, so I will obviously go see all his things blindly. But Starlight express really holds a huge place in my heart. I saw it when I was young and I was obsessed. Many many years later, I am the Starlight is still a very recurring bathroom anthem in my life. So a new iteration of starlight Express (with 21st century technology!) was obviously going to have me running to the London theater to check it out. First of all, from the moment you arrive its a fully immersive experience. the theater is pretty much made for the show and from the entrance, lounge, to the free photo booth it all screams product integration in the best of ways. I got myself a seat right by the track and it was absolutely worth it. And now for the show. I absolutely adored some of the changes. It was implied in previous version that control was the child playing with her toys, but the voice was not childlike. Here, actually having a little girl play the role gave so much more sense to the story (I’m not going to try to defend the book of Starlight it is not about that) and also made for an additional adorable character. Greaseball being a woman worked exceptionally well! Also having a Momma instead of a Poppa, meant that there were more cool female roles on stage and I was all for that! This is keeping the best of the 80s camp and design with the best of the 21st century technology. The video displays and screens make for great stage settings and obviously there is an incredible intricate lighting design. Jeevan BRaich as Rusty was so good, I can not believe he is only like 18! such a beautiful voice. IN general all the casting was spot on,. The only one I didn’t love was the Pearl that I saw. I had the understudy, and she was just lacking a bit for me. I was transported back to my childhood, and I think this show will run for such a long time as it is perfectly set up for success. The best show to take little kids to get them hooked on the wonderful experience that is going to the theater.
Official Blurb: Duncan Macmillan’s (Lungs, 1984) intoxicating hit play PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, directed by Jeremy Herrin (Best of Enemies, Wolf Hall, This House) and designed by Tony Award-winner Bunny Christie, is a ‘must-see all over again’ (WhatsOnStage). Now playing at the Trafalgar Theatre until 10 August only. Denise Gough reprises her Olivier Award-winning role as Emma, a struggling actress whose life is spinning recklessly out of control. Gough’s ‘blisteringly funny, brilliantly physical and achingly human’ (Financial Times) performance is once again thrilling audiences in PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS – hailed by critics as ‘one of the greatest of her generation’ (Independent). Emma was having the time of her life. Now she’s in rehab. Her first step is to admit that she has a problem. But the problem isn’t with Emma, it’s with everything else. She needs to tell the truth. But she’s smart enough to know that there’s no such thing. When intoxication feels like the only way to survive the modern world, how can she ever sober up? Don’t miss this ‘unforgettable night’ (The Times) in the West End.
My take: This was beautifully acted but emotionally overwhelming. It is great, but you feel like you need a glass of wine afterwards, and then you feel bad because should I really be having a glass of wine after watching a whole show about addiction and rehab? The staging is really impressing and Denise Gough’s performance is worth the price of admission.
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