Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS opens summer 2024 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.
With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, the creative team is helmed by acclaimed director Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, The Little Big Things), set designer Tim Hatley (Back to the Future), video designer Andrzej Goulding (Life of Pi), costume designer Gabriella Slade (Six), lighting designer Howard Hudson (& Juliet), sound designer Gareth Owen (MJ the Musical) with new orchestrations and musical supervision by Matthew Brind.
Featuring thrilling new choreography by Ashley Nottingham (Pacific Overtures) and casting by Pearson Casting CDG, STARLIGHT EXPRESS also sees the return of Arlene Phillips as creative dramaturg.
The Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is a state-of the-art cultural destination only 12 minutes from Baker Street and a short 5-minute walk from the tube. There are great parking options and the theatre is easily accessible via the M25 and M1
Accessible Performances
Signed, Audio Described and Captioned:
Sun 6th October, 2024 - 1pm
Wed 9th October, 2024 - 7.30pm
Starlight Express is infamous for its roller-skating cast, and while the skates return, the cast zips through the audience at what feels like a slower pace than before. The Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre has been transformed into a playground for this show. Tim Hatley’s spectacular set design, featuring intricate tracks and immersive elements, honours the original while incorporating modern updates. LED screens and projection mapping enhance the vibrant world of racing trains.
And frankly it’s a lot of fun. In truly spectacular costumes from Gabriella Slade, the cast is kind of dressed like Warhammer 40K Space Marines given a Drag Race makeover. Nobody looks even slightly like a train. But it is a tremendous thrill to have these prodigies whistle past you at high velocity. Obviously it’s a silly idea for a show.. But a lot of very skilled things are silly if you think about them too much. Skating around an amphitheatre while singing, acting and wearing what looks like about half a tonne of costume is frankly incredible (shout out to skate coordinator Luke Zammit). And I haven’t even got on to how sensational everybody’s hair looks (respect to wig designer Campbell Young).
1984 | West End |
Original London Production West End |
1987 | Broadway |
Broadway Production Broadway |
2024 | West End |
West End |
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