Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is a year old, and we were invited to celebrate the occasion. As a lifelong fan of Starlight Express, having seen it twice as a child at its old home, the Apollo Victoria (which ended in 2002), I was very excited to revisit this nostalgic performance. The story of Starlight Express starts back in 1974 but didn’t come into reality until 1984, and it was one of Andrew Webber’s most loved musicals. While I was a big fan, I now know (from the anniversary programme) that I was not as much of a fan as a postman called Alan Newman who watched the original a staggering 750 time at a cost of £21,000!!

The old home of Starlight was quite different to today’s more modern, safety-conscious setup. As a child, I remember the exhilaration as the actors sped around the stage. That exhilaration still exists in the modern interpretation, and in this new home, all seats in the auditorium have a fantastic view of the whole stage and get to experience the actors up close, speeding past. Including the marshals on scooters is also an excellent addition, adding a more modern dimension to the story and they are very satisfying to watch.

This classic tells the story of a child ‘Control’ who, in his dreams, brings his trains to life in a race which pits the more modern electric and hydrogen trains above the historical steam engine (or so it seems). It is a story of friendship, confidence, empowerment, and love. This retelling allows for beautiful interaction between the trains and Control, which differs from the original but brings the story into a modern age and gives the voice of the child, which is something we regard highly in today’s society. It has also been great to see acknowledgement and changing up of the gender roles from the original, which makes sense for modern audiences and works exceptionally well. Luke Sheppard, the director, whose love of the show, like mine, began from his childhood viewing, has successfully evolved and grown the show to ensure it can be loved by new and old audiences alike.

The cast is fantastic, bringing this much-loved classic into 2025…. But not too much. Many of the original songs remain part of the performance and the story remains sentimental, compassionate, massively fun and electrifying at times. The introduction of the fantasy/sci-fi concept on set works incredibly well, enabling the inclusion of planets (which adorn many a child’s bedroom ceiling in real life) and a wonderful star scene which left me wondering if I could make my bedroom like that! The young cast, for many of whom this is their first significant stage production, shone with their ability, connection and you can see the love for the story and fun being had on stage, which is paramount for a story like this and with the audience being so close to the action. Actors who stood out for us were Rusty (Jeevan Braich), Momma (Jade Martin), Electra (Tom Pigram), Hydra (Jaydon Vijn), Skate Marshals (Jamie Addison and Dante Hutchinson) and the Control (Shayan Ghai).

The costumes are fantastic, a beautiful throwback to the early days of Starlight in the 80’s, with significant detail and planning. One of the things that has changed in modern theatre is technology, lighting and visually the show is spectacular and showcases some of that modern technology in its best light, for the stage. If you are looking for a memorable show that will wow children and adults alike and provide memories and talking points for many years, and introduce children to a love of musical theatre, this is the show for you. Many congratulations to Starlight for their anniversary back in London and good luck to some new cast, starting in June 2025.