Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembely Park Theatre

This show is wonderfully unique. Going in blind was definitely worth it as I was blown away by the show and the talent of the whole cast. Especially their skating skills, when most of them did not learn until they joined the show.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

This is a show that I was unsure about going in as I did not know anything about it apart from that it differed from previous iterations and the one currently showing in Bochum. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and would definitely consider returning due to how enjoyable and impressive this show truly is. The show was engaging and stunning to see as the set and lighting are blended to create an immersive, visually pleasing experience that will leave you wanting more. There were some sound issues with microphones cutting out or music being too loud, but this did not occur too often and as such did not detract from the overall show.

The cast of the show is divided into Cast, Trucks, Components, Race Marshals, Control, Coaches, and Engines. The Cast is composed of Jeevan Braich (Rusty), Jade Marvin (Momma), Al Knott (Greaseball), and Electra (Tom Pigram). The Trucks are composed of Jaydon Vijn (Hydra), Lewis Kidd (Porter), Harrison Peterkin (Lumber), and Emily Martinez (Slick). The Components are composed of Pablo Gomez (Killerwatt), Lilianna Hendy (Wrench), Catherine Cornwall (Joule), and Ollie Augustin (Volta). The Race Marshalls at my show were played by Charlie Russel and Jamie Addison, and Control was played by Alexander Brooks. The Coaches are composed of Kayna Montecillo (Pearl), Eve Humphrey (Dinah), Ashylyn Weekes (Belle), and Renz Cardenas (Tassita). The Engines are composed of Lucy Glover (Blue Lightning), Asher Forth (Green Arrow), David Peter Brown (Golden Eagle), Oscar Kong (Silver Bullet), and Marianthe Panas (Orange Flash).

The show opens with Overture/Entry of the Trains which is performed by Jade Marvin and Alexander Brooks as Momma and Control. This introduces us to the show and highlights the role of Control, which is new to this production and felt like the perfect addition. It must be said that Alexander Brooks is extremely talented as he was in most scenes of the show and his energy and performance were maintained to the level of the rest of the cast throughout. Al Knott is introduced during Rolling Stock, but it was her solo song of Pumping Iron that blew me away based on her talent and stamina displayed during this moment. Jeevan Braich, Eve Humphrey, Ashylyn Weekes, and Renz Cardenas lead the company in Crazy, which is a wonderful first insight into the character of Rusty, who is played by the rising star that is Jeevan Braich. His talent is further showcased in Call Me Rusty with fabulous vocals and an all-around amazing performance and is once again reiterated by the range showcased in Starlight Express. I Am Me is performed by Kayna Montecillo, Eve Humphrey, Ashylyn Weekes, and Renz Cardenas. This is a wonderful introduction to Pearl played by Kayna Montecillo who is perfect for this role with a sweetness to her yet a powerful voice that provides the characterisation of Pearl as headstrong but also kind. The first time we see Jeevan Braich and Kayna Montecillo perform together is during Whistle At Me where their voices brilliantly blend together to form a beautiful duet. Freight is used to introduce Jaydon Vijn, Lewis Kidd, Harrison Peterkin, and Emily Martinez as the Freight Trucks of the show, which are Hydra, Porter, Lumber and Slick respectively. This is a fun introduction as it is joined by Kayna Montecillo, Eve Humphrey, Ashylyn Weekes, and Renz Cardenas who provide a mocking of the Freight trains throughout the song, and this mixture of Freight and Coaches creates an engaging and enjoyable song. AC/DC introduces Electra and the Components who are played by Tom Pigram, Pablo Gomez, Lilianna Hendy, Catherine Cornwall, and Ollie Augustin respectively. This song showcases the vocal talent and range of Tom Pigram wonderfully and is supported by the components who are able to stand out whilst simultaneously blending to form this ensemble moment that is somehow able to be collaborative whilst also highlighting Electra with Tom Pigram providing the excellent leading vocals. Make Up My Heart is the first full showcase of Kayna Montecillo’s immense talent as this is Pearl’s solo song. Her ability to convey yet another side of Pearl is amazing as she starts to question who she should race with. Jade Marvin stuns with her definition of Momma’s Blues with a rich and smooth voice that is a joy to listen to and I could have honestly listened to this song on repeat as it was that impressive and audibly pleasing. Eve Humphrey leads U. N. C. O. U. P. L. E. D, which is a moment of unbridled comedy accompanied by wonderful vocals and choreography from herself and also Ashylyn Weekes and Renz Cardenas. Wide Smile was arguably one of my favourite moments of this performance, Emily Martinez displays excellent range and characterisation as Slick during this upbeat and catchy song. Jaydon Vijn leads alongside Jeevan Braich in Hydrogen, and this song allows Jaydon to showcase not only his brilliant vocal skills but also his sensational skating abilities, however, as an ex-member of the Bochum cast, this skill was no surprise to me as I was definitely able to notice his confidence whilst skating. One Rock ‘N’ Roll Too Many is yet another one of my memorable moments as the blend of comedy and talent was on full display by Tom Pigram, Al Knott and Emily Martinez as they started to feel their age through hilarious dialogue and comments amidst the song. The show ends with Light At The End Of The Tunnel, which leads into the Finale and MegaMix of this show. This is the perfect ending to this show, allowing for a final ensemble piece that is able to showcase both the full company and individual members.

This is definitely one to catch and I hope to be able to return to this wonderful show at some point in the future.

Content Warnings:

The theatre did not have any content warnings on display. I was informed there are warnings available on the website, however, I was not able to find these. The possible triggers that I made note of were as follows:

The foyer area is covered in disco balls and lights, which I found to be quite overwhelming and disorienting
The show uses strobe lighting throughout
The show can be fairly loud
Haze is used during the show, and also at the entrances into the auditorium

Furthermore, after speaking to a member of the Front of House Team, I learnt that they do have a more detailed content warning list available should someone need it, and also have a limited supply of noise-cancelling headphones and eye masks for audience members who may struggle during the show. These more detailed warnings are as follows:

During AC/DC there are lasers and flashing lights
During The Rap there are intense flashing lights that last for about 10 seconds
The races are noted as being a difficult moment to watch as the trains move around the audience, which means there are lights on the audience that are constantly moving
As the races finish there are flashing hectic lights
During Wide Smile there are very hectic lights, and also fire is emitted from the oil cans
During One Rock ‘N’ Roll too many there are flashing lights
During the Finale the changes are signalled by changing light intensities

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer