 | | Starlight Express |
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-heralded musical has hit the tracks to tour the UK for the first time - twenty one years after embarking on its first West End journey. Now re-jigged for a new century and subtitled The 3rd Dimension, this all-singing, fast-moving, roller-skating spectacular is sure to pack them in at the Hippodrome throughout the summer. Although lacking any deep or meaningful storyline, the show is overflowing with enough colour, verve and excitement to keep audiences young and old entertained throughout. Electrifying music and dazzling costumes It’s a high-velocity production that fuses state of the art technology, electrifying music, and dazzling sets and costumes. It also features a throwback to cinema days with the audience being encouraged, nay demanded, to don 3-D glasses at various moments during the show. The result is both powerful and very effective. The world of Starlight Express is a world in which German, Russian and Japanese trains are depicted as evil, while the Diesel and Electric trains are insufferably arrogant and sure of themselves. The "female" train cars are simply desperate for some hot train to give them love and attention. The race is on The thin plot involves a series of races between the trains – with patriotic pride at stake. There's the defending champion from the States, Greaseball, (a macho diesel engine); Electra, an electric engine with fabulous turns; and poor pathetic Rusty, a steam-powered engine who is trying to win back his girl. The ensuing races are where the glasses come in Magnificent production
 | | Starlight Express |
Visually the production is magnificent – and that’s in no small way down to the 23-strong cast, a multi-talented bunch, who combine stunt-precision skating, acting, dancing (on rollerskates) and some fine vocal performances. To be able to perform one of those traits on stage is impressive; to combine the lot with equal aplomb is nothing short of incredible! Particularly worthy of singling out are James Gillan as Rusty, Jane Horn as his love interest Pearl, Anton Stephans as Poppa and Tanya Robb (Dinah) for her warm, and very humorous rendition of the Country & Western ballad, "U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." (surely a parody of Dolly Parton’s D.I.V.O.R.C.E ") Lloyd Webber has updated his score. Some songs have been cut from the original production and topical ones added - in styles such as rap, country & western, and jazz. But while it fails to hit the same mark as his other more memorable scores, the show does possess some really solid, and original numbers, such as “AC/DC," "Light at the End of the Tunnel," "Pumping Iron," and, of course, the title song. In addition the ballad, “Only He”, sung beautifully by Jane Horn and James Gillan, could easily be a hit song. A visual delight Sadly, the loud, thunderous music all too often drowned out the singers. You simply couldn’t comprehend the lyrics for the majority of the evening. Whatever subtext, characterization, and plot explained in the lyrics, is completely lost. Although it may not be near the calibre of other Lloyd Webber musicals, it is a vibrant, exciting and enjoyable production with incredible visual delights. Starlight Express does what it sets out to do - provide a great evening of theatre. So get yourself a ticket and climb aboard – you can be sure there’ll be no delays on the line! Starlight Express @ Birmingham Hippodrome Starlight Express pulls away from the Birmingham Hippodrome buffers after its final performance on Saturday 10th September. | 
