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
Gabriella Slade’s fabulous retro-futurist costumes nod to both armoured Marvel superheroes and the Six queens, with cool details like smoke unfurling from the steam characters’ backpacks – although they must be heavy, making the cast’s silky skating all the more impressive. We’re talking SAS levels of fitness here. Ashley Nottingham, working with creative dramaturg and original choreographer Arlene Phillips, gives us everything from hip-shaking swing and a kick line to funky streetdance. The race marshals, riding scooters, do incredible upside-down flips off the ramp.
Besides, the costumes are works of such glam-rock excess – including spontaneously inflating angel wings – that at times, it borders on a drag queen parade. The only problem is that the whole titanic creation teeters on a flimsy, saccharine love story between an obsolete young steam train, Rusty, and a prettily upholstered carriage, Pearl.
1984 | West End |
Original London Production West End |
1987 | Broadway |
Broadway Production Broadway |
2024 | West End |
West End |
Videos