Review: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, Salisbury Playhouse

All aboard for a new rendering of The Girl on the Train at Salisbury Playhouse, with clever background projection to lift a journey that doesn’t quite make its connection.

The Girl on the Train, a blend of whodunnit and psychological thriller, originally set off on the tracks as a best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins in 2015. This was followed by the DreamWorks Animation film – starring Emily Blunt – the following year.

The Girl on the Train hasn’t been a stranger to theatres. Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, the play toured the UK and Ireland in 2019, including a stop in the West End where EastEnders star Samantha Womack played the lead role of Rachel Watson.

Now, Wiltshire Creative’s gone full throttle with a new production of this show, with Joanna van Kampen (the voice of Fallon Rogers in the beloved radio drama The Archers) taking the main role of an alcoholic divorcee in her thirties, who becomes obsessed with watching ‘the perfect couple’ from the windows of the train during her daily commute. When a woman suddenly disappears, Rachel ends up as witness, suspect and amateur detective in a mystery where she unearths more than she was expecting.

Van Kampen gamely displays unreliable Rachel’s confusion in trying to remember past traumatic events that could help with the investigation. She does messy and confused well, but I’m not sure if the audience ever really connects with her.

This could be down to direction by Loveday Ingram, where van Kampen (and most members of the cast) talk side-to-side to one another, rarely facing and engaging the audience. Delivery of lines is not always clear and well projected, making it difficult for the audience (particularly those carrying senior bus passes) to follow what’s going on.

The real star of the show is video designer Dan Light’s excellent flickering landscapes and beautiful abstract images conveying rail travel. He also offers lit-up windows that frame various characters as Rachel perceives them.

Lighting design from Jack Knowles helps to create a moody atmosphere with side and back lights. Sometimes, however, it’s difficult to see characters’ facial expressions with these forms of illumination, making it hard to bond with the actors.

Elizabeth Purnell’s sound design complements the lighting and video effects, with the roar of passing trains and effective use of composer Paul Englishby’s music to increase tension.

A pared-back set by designer Adam Wiltshire works well. A simple drinks cabinet is all it takes to remind us we are in the Hipwell home, for instance. This less is more approach makes scene changes quick and painless too.

The energetic, young cast does it best to stay on the right track, with admirable reconstructions of events and sound performances.

Samuel Collings is energetic as Scott Hipwell (one-half of the perfect couple) and manages to get some laughs, as well as empathy from the audience.

Jonathan Firth is equally strong as Tom Watson, Rachel’s ex-husband. Tiran Aakel, in the role of therapist Kamal Abdic, does actually play out directly to the audience, for which we are all truly grateful.

Emer McDaid is an attractive and gentle Megan Hipwell. Her soft manner of speaking is at times perhaps too soft for us to comprehend everything she’s saying. Phoebe Pryce is commendable as steely Anna Watson, Tom’s new wife and put upon new mother.

And hats off to Jason Merrells’ D.I. Gaskell. He keeps everything chugging along in a tricky part as an Agatha Christie-esque detective giving a great deal of exposition to explain the plot twists.

One hopes that the production team can iron out the wrinkles in this new production, so it can proceed full speed ahead. For there is light at the end of the tunnel for The Girl on the Train if the actors’ performances can match the stagecraft – and spark connections.

Read our interview with actor Samuel Collings about appearing in the show here.

Content warnings for the play: strong language and refers to excessive alcohol use, losing children, infertility, domestic violence, and murder. You need to be 15 and over to be admitted. For more information, check out the website: www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk.

The Girl on the Train runs at Salisbury Playhouse until November 11

Photo credit: Ellie Kurttz

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