Starlight Express - Troubadour

[richey]

x.com/Starlightlondon/status/1799441366382006571?t=l3F6055vGj2OJqGWlD6xEQ&s=19

[richey]

www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/andrew-lloyd-webber-starlight-express-return-interview/

New song is called Hydrogen

The child (Control) will be seen in the new production and not just a voice

[mickeyjotheatre]

Jun 8, 2024 14:21:20 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Some of the bends on that track are very sharp, almost right angles.

Didn’t the moving seats thing get quietly dropped ages ago? .

I thought that about the track too - they navigate it easily, it's getting around the closest seating areas to the stage that seem to be more challenging.

Can confirm no moving seats - will wait for the first preview crowd to say more as technically more could have changed!

[erik24601]

Jun 8, 2024 15:34:11 GMT richey said:

www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/andrew-lloyd-webber-starlight-express-return-interview/

New song is called Hydrogen

The child (Control) will be seen in the new production and not just a voice

Yes there are six children playing the role in rotation.

[erik24601]

Does anybody else feel a really exciting buzz about this production? I don’t remember there being such excitement about a revival production (other than perhaps Sunset Boulevard but that was a very new take - this feels like there will still be an element of nostalgia attached to the original, especially given the set design.)

[Being Alive]

I think the image of the auditorium has caused a buzz but I hadn't really felt one until then tbh

[blamerobots]

The only buzz I feel these days is the buzz when my phone goes off to tell me that you were not selected to win Lottery tix for Cabaret on 8 June 2024 at 19:30 BST .

[archibaldi]

I can't wait to hear how it is!!

[blobble84]

It’s a good spectacle - great set, impressive lighting, and lovely to have a proper sound mix in this venue! Cast are all pretty solid - Rusty has a lovely voice. For me, it’s the races that are underwhelming. It’s all quite slow - I understand safety is probably a bigger thing for this than decades ago, but it means they don’t feel big.

Even though I saw it years ago, I don’t remember which songs were and weren’t in well enough, so will let others comment on that!

It’s fun though and I’m sure it will do well.

Show stop about 20 minutes in as someone tried to leave and fainted. The FOH person with them was totally confused about what to do and a few of us nearby had to shout stop to get people’s attention before cast and crew finally realised what was happening.

[mrbarnaby]

Jun 8, 2024 17:17:06 GMT erik24601 said:

Does anybody else feel a really exciting buzz about this production? I don’t remember there being such excitement about a revival production (other than perhaps Sunset Boulevard but that was a very new take - this feels like there will still be an element of nostalgia attached to the original, especially given the set design.)

Buzz on here yeah.. out in the real world- don’t think so 🤣

[benj]

Jun 8, 2024 17:17:06 GMT erik24601 said:

Does anybody else feel a really exciting buzz about this production? I don’t remember there being such excitement about a revival production (other than perhaps Sunset Boulevard but that was a very new take - this feels like there will still be an element of nostalgia attached to the original, especially given the set design.)

Lots of buzz around it for sure. My colleagues were all talking about it in the office last week and saying they plan to take their families to see it in the summer. Advertising for it has been pretty good too. I even saw 2 buses in Guildford today with the Starlight branding on the sides, so it’s not just London.
The issue I think they’ll have is that a lot of people are nostalgic for the original version, which this is not. I wish they’d used John Napier to design a new set - this one by Hatley looks ok, but it’s not on the same level as any of Napier’s Starlight sets. The success will depend on whether people take to this new version or not. Is there enough of the original left? We shall see. I’m there on Thursday, and again on the 22nd.

[lotster]

I just had a look at ticket availability and it's sold very, very well all the way through until February. I have tickets and I'm excited for sure, but I loved the original version (and went so many times) SO much that I am nervous I won't like all the changes. I loved the old set, costumes, characters, staging and whilst I'm sure modernising it will bring some cool, impressive new aspects, I hope it brings back those magical moments from the original.

[mrbarnaby]

I think everyone has to get over this obsession with the original production.

You want to see that so much- go to Bochum.

This is a new version.

[andypandy]

Jun 8, 2024 20:00:37 GMT blobble84 said:

It’s a good spectacle - great set, impressive lighting, and lovely to have a proper sound mix in this venue! Cast are all pretty solid - Rusty has a lovely voice. For me, it’s the races that are underwhelming. It’s all quite slow - I understand safety is probably a bigger thing for this than decades ago, but it means they don’t feel big.

Even though I saw it years ago, I don’t remember which songs were and weren’t in well enough, so will let others comment on that!

It’s fun though and I’m sure it will do well.

Show stop about 20 minutes in as someone tried to leave and fainted. The FOH person with them was totally confused about what to do and a few of us nearby had to shout stop to get people’s attention before cast and crew finally realised what was happening.

The success of the Bochum production is the skating - the cast whizz by and there is a breeze - they really skate full out! This set looks cheap in comparison. Sorry. People WILL compare! Having Starlight with no bridge is like Phantom without the chandelier in my opinion. Cheap.

Interesting to see how the HYDROGEN will look/sound

[lotster]

Jun 8, 2024 21:24:24 GMT mrbarnaby said:

I think everyone has to get over this obsession with the original production.

You want to see that so much- go to Bochum.

This is a new version.

I know it's a new version, hence I've booked tickets and I'm excited BUT I will say one thing................the "new" rapping Rum Tum Tugger in Cats when it came back to The Palladium a few years back. Sometimes changes are not positive.

[Seriously]

We know what happens when ALW tries to be young and "relevant".... we get Bad Cinderella.

[PineappleForYou]

MJT has done a pretty good breakdown of what to expect:

[mattnyc]

What’s the run time on this?

[BVM]

So an intriguing evening no doubt.

Not really sure now what I expected but it was quite different really. I think. Still collecting my thoughts.

Multiple spoilers follow.

Music wise it's basically the 30th version minus Right Place Right Time which has been cut. I Am Me has an added section in middle from Tyre Tracks And Broken Hearts from Whistle Down The Wind (we were born going faster than the limits allow) which I rather liked but was completely random. And there is a new theme for the Hydra character which is listed in the programme as a song but is basically a repeating 3 lines (it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when, for hy-dro-gen). Again I rather liked it but calling it a song is pushing it! Otherwise the 30th version musically with a few tweaks. Lyrically and book wise there are considerably more changes.

The orchestrations were fantastic (very electronic), the sound system was brilliant and it sounded glorious. The cast all have fantastic voices and you'd have no idea was a first preview.

Character wise the nationals have gone and are now "coloured" engines - Green Arrow, Orange Flash etc. It's a bit like an episode of Gladiators. The entire freight ensemble have changed and are now Hydra, Porter, Lumber and Slick. Slick is vaguely the villain that was CB. Hydra turns up as per Dustin but is cool and completely different character wise. He transforms Rusty's steam from coal to hydrogen power after the Sequence.

Control is on stage most of the time (not on skates) which if you like kids on stage is fine. I don't massively so could have lived without it (though the girl playing her did a fantastic job).

Greaseball is now female which worked fine for me (in the context of the new production it works). It sort of makes the relationship with Dinah gay to the extent that you think trains in a child's dream have a sexuality. Again I rather like this! More representation is never bad.

The costumes were all a bit Six/WWRY/Saucy Jack/Return To Forbidden Planet/Sci-Fi influenced. Didn't love them. They might grow on me!

The set is nice but it's strangely small in there - feels a bit like the Gillian Lynne size wise. It's a good set but as expected nowhere near the scale of the Napier one.

The lighting was lovely.

But, I dunno, for me there was something missing. It was very cute. Almost Disney like really. And it looked very pretty. I wasn't wowed! I kinda thought there would be epic massive light/video/projections that would really knock you off your feet and compared to what can be achieved in 2024 it wasn't quite that. I was expecting (based on a guess and zero evidence) Eurovision style staging!

Of course I can't give an objective opinion being such a devotee of the original so all the above to be taken with a pinch of salt! But compared to the previous versions, it just felt slightly underpowered.

Otherwise it was very very slick and you'd have no idea was a first preview. The young cast were all absolutely faultless.

I do think kids and a younger new audience who don't know the original will love it and I think it will do incredibly well (which going back to my previous posts on that topic is of course a very good thing). I wonder if there will be much moaning from those expecting the original.

I really hope it will grow on me in time.

4 stars from me for now. (I was hoping for 5+). A great show. But it didn't floor me the way the first preview of Lloyd's Sunset did.

[avfan]

Saw the first preview tonight. It’s good but not great. The cast overall are fabulous but the playing space is just a bit too small which means the races etc are underwhelming as they can’t build up the necessary speed. This is not the fault of the cast as the nailed it especially when it came to the skating and in general gave a very assured performance and worked well as an ensemble.

A lot of changes to the show a lot worked well some not so much. Spoilers below, apologies don't know how to hide, maybe one of the admins can help.

- It’s now very much a child’s dream / play set and the child is the controller and onstage throughout.
-Greaseball is now a female character and for me that was one of the things that didn’t work as Pumping Iron in particular was underpowered.
-Electra is done brilliantly in this version.
-Costumes are fantastic, really great design, same for the lighting.
-They’ve cut Locomotion which I was sad over.
-Papa is now Mama and again this didn’t quite work for me and the numbers lacked the Umph.
-Next Time We Fall in love has been replaced by a new duet which I enjoyed.
-Pearl is a true standout and gives a fantastic professional debut.
-Rusty is good and has potential, at 17 years old to be making his pro debut, huge respect to him. Crazy was a bit underwhelming but that may
have been sound issues in Act 1 as he sounded a lot more powerful in Act 2.
-A lot of new characters who all add something lovely to the show.
-The only real tricks are done by two race marshals on scooters.
-The space is really immersive and the design is great bar the staging constraints.
-It felt like the story had a bit more heart in it.

Overall its a fun show but nowhere near as exciting as the London production when it was at its best. The audience really enjoyed it and I think it will have a decent run but for me it was a 3 star that hit 3.5 stars at certain points.

[Phantom of London]

Jun 8, 2024 20:00:37 GMT blobble84 said:

It’s a good spectacle - great set, impressive lighting, and lovely to have a proper sound mix in this venue! Cast are all pretty solid - Rusty has a lovely voice. For me, it’s the races that are underwhelming. It’s all quite slow - I understand safety is probably a bigger thing for this than decades ago, but it means they don’t feel big.

Even though I saw it years ago, I don’t remember which songs were and weren’t in well enough, so will let others comment on that!

It’s fun though and I’m sure it will do well.

Show stop about 20 minutes in as someone tried to leave and fainted. The FOH person with them was totally confused about what to do and a few of us nearby had to shout stop to get people’s attention before cast and crew finally realised what was happening.

That person who collapsed was just behind me and collapsed on the stairs, next to the track it was me who shouted out “stop the show”. Which they duly did.

I agree the show racing was pedestrian and thought they were going to stop to help an old lady across the track, it seems all H&S. As for the show I thought it missed that ‘WOW’ moment, which was there when I first saw Starlight 33 years ago, I may have become show hardened, as since then I’ve seen hundreds of show since,  it could be possible if I was that 17 year old again stepping foot in the Wembley Park Theatre for one of my first shows, I may have been blown away. Saying that I thought the use of lasers were great, liked the planets, enjoyed the scooter riders - but ultimately I was unmoved And nothing that reminded me of the zeitgeist of the original.

My favourite song ‘He Whistled At Me’ seems to have evolved since the original? The titular song is brilliant, but when sung by Rusty tonight, I was underwhelmed, as the song requires a person, in the range of a tenor, who can give the song some powe - enjoyed the reprise more. 14 members of the cast tonight made there professional debut, which maybe altogether ALW seeing pound signs over quality.

The shows DNA has changed so much it is impossible to tell what are the original songs and what has been subsequently added, what I do know is that I need not a ‘megamix’.

The young girl playing control was excellent.

4 Stars. It is a great show, let down by a good production.

[avfan]

There was a show stop midway through 'Whistle At Me' due to a medical emergency in the audience. Show was down for less then 10 mins. Llyod Webber was sitting a few rows in front with Glen Close:)

[blamerobots]

Jun 8, 2024 22:26:57 GMT avfan said:

Llyod Webber was sitting a few rows in front with Glen Close:)

Good thing I weren't there cus I would've been making the Bad Behaviour thread by yelling "GO ON, ANDY!" at the top of my lungs

[greatauntedna]

My first time seeing it this evening, I thought about half of it was great and half felt dated.

[d'James]

Phew! I was so worried beforehand but I needn’t have been.

I liked most of the costumes but Electra didn’t stand out and the coaches really didn’t do it for me - particularly the wigs.

Where I was sitting, for the first half, the sound seemed really quiet. It was a bit better in the second.

Songs wise, Crazy lacked a lot of oomph for me. The introduction of the characters in Freight was very disjointed. I’m never going to be its number one fan, but I did like the new bit in ‘I Am Me’ (I preferred it being called ‘I Got Me - I though that had a stronger meaning). I would’ve liked the glitterball to have been a bit more effective in the Starlight Sequence.

The revolve wasn’t used as well as it could’ve been. There was one bit where the model trains went round and Control sat down too, which spoiled it in my eyes.

I thought the components names were changing, but evidently not - although I didn’t hear Killerwatt say their name.

I would hate to be in that auditorium if there was a fire.

I feel they could’ve made the foyer more interesting and they should introduce a sort of zig-zag/post office queue system for the merch. Drinks were reasonable. Before the show, announcement system went off the rails (pun intended), which reminded me of Noises Off.

Anyway, had a great night and my worries were unfounded.

EDIT: The thing that took me the longest to get used to was the accents.