Review: Starlight Express

We chose it as we were worried that their daughter’s command of English may have been a problem going to other musicals playing in the West End at the time.

As it was we, needn’t have worried but ‘Starlight’ certainly proved to be a great choice. Not only did she love the colourful costumes and brilliant roller skating, but by the time we left the theatre for home, she was singing ‘There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel’.

While ‘Starlight’ has played Milton Keynes in the past, top show presenter Bill Kenwright’s latest updated version trundled into the new city station on Wednesday this week for an 11-day, 16 shows run which includes five matinees. And as you’ve probably already guessed, Starlight Express is all about trains.

Originally written for his children Imogen and Nicholas, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long running show sees trains race against each other in heats on a knockout basis to see who can become the ultimate champion.

The colourful locomotives, carriages and wagons are themselves played by a cast of highly-talented roller skating actors whose voices, tricks and sheer enthusiasm leaves the audience absolutely spellbound.

Having been referred to as ‘Thomas The Tank Engine on Speed’, it’s almost three decades since Starlight Express first hit the London stage with steam locomotive ‘Rusty’ hoping to win the affections of first class carriage ‘Pearl’ in a series of elimination races against more up-to-date diesel and electric engines.

The races themselves are really spectacular, the action made even more stunning by clever 3-D effects on a giant drop down screen. At race time the controller (not a fat male one as in ‘Thomas’ but an unseen female) requests you to put on your safety goggles. These are handed out as you enter the theatre and it all helps adds to the illusion.

Every inch of the Milton Keynes stage seems to be used as Rusty (Kristofer Harding) tries desperately to win Pearl (Amanda Coutts) away from the flamboyant – and obviously gay – electric train ‘Electra’, brilliantly played by Mykal Rand. Meanwhile tough American diesel ‘Greaseball’ (Jamie Capewell) is also much higher up Pearl’s priority list than Rusty, the downtrodden out-of-date steamer.

Kristofer Harding’s voice actually reminded me of a young Michael Crawford, especially when duetting with Pearl in ‘I Do’, one of the show’s three fabulous additional Lloyd Webber songs with lyrics provided by David Yazbek.

All the show’s original songs are still there although many have been seriously updated musically but Richard Stilgoe’s lyrics remaining virtually unchanged.

Numbers such as the catchy U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D., sung by Dinah (Ruthie Stephens, the dining car), in a typical County & Western-style and the brilliant ‘Starlight Express’ which is sung by Rusty and his father, the older and even rustier steam loco known as ‘Poppa’.

Poppa is superbly played by Lothair Eaton who has the audience eating from the palm of his hand, the ultra bright flashing lighting sequence adding to the spectacle.

‘Pumping Iron’ and ‘One Rock & Roll Too Many’ are two other stand out numbers featuring both Greaseball and Electra together with a mix of rolling stock. The comedy element is added by the freight wagons and especially ‘Dustin’ (Gavin Ashbarry), an overweight truck who, coupled behind Poppa, somehow manages to win the second race.

Then there’s Poppa’s aforementioned catchy ‘There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel’ which brings the curtain down on what is a vibrant, colourful musical and a cracking family show.

With around 30 skilled skaters on stage at the same time, surely someone must suffer and last night it was ‘Duvey’ (Kelsey Cobban) the sleeping car. She was apparently tripped and missed the next number before rolling back out to join the three other carriages, obviously none the worse for the experience.

With Arlene Phillips now in the director’s seat – she was the show’s original choreographer when it opened in London back in March 1984 – there have been so many updates but the slick dance routines performed on skates still amazes me.

As I’ve already said, it’s a great family show, the live (and loud) orchestra is fabulous while it’s full of emotion with touches of comedy and the sheer genius of the score means it’s just the tonic for a good night out.

Starlight Express arrives at the Milton Keynes Theatre ‘station’ at 7.30pm each night and runs until Saturday, May 4. There are also matinee performances at 2.30pm tomorrow (Saturday, April 27), on Wednesday (May 1) and again on the final closing Saturday.

And just as at any real railways station, tickets are available from the ticket office (call 0844 871 7652 – booking fees apply) with prices ranging from £15 to £45.