Starlight Express returns to London in 2024 with a brand-new immersive production

Pack your bags and get ready to board the Starlight Express. This iconic musical returns to London in 2024 with its electrifying performances and roller-skating trains. The show will be playing at the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at the Troubadour Webley Park Theatre from 8 June 2024 onwards. 

After a sensational debut at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in 1984, Starlight Express ran for over 7400 performances! It received acclaim not only in the UK but also in Germany, where it gained a permanent spot at the specially constructed Starlighthalle.

The story

Starlight Express, at its heart, is a classic love story. Rusty, an obsolete steam engine, wants to woo a first-class observation car, Pearl. He races in a championship against modern engines in his quest for love. Andrew Lloyd Webber initially wrote a few songs for a proposed cartoon feature about animated trains in 1976, inspired by a trip on the Valley Railroad in New England with his children. The cartoon didn't take off.

Lloyd turned the tunes into a score in the early 1980s, using inspiration from R&B, rock 'n' roll, jazz, rap, and country and western music. He wrote an entire musical on railroads. He eventually connected with songwriter Richard Stilgoe, drawing on his long-time passion for trains, and Starlight Express was born.

The team behind Starlight Express

The Starlight Express revival promises to be the first immersive musical. With Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, The Little Big Things) as the director, set designer Tim Hatley (Back to the Future), Andrzej Goulding (Life of Pi) as video designer, costume designer Gabriella Slade (Six), lighting designer Howard Hudson (& Juliet), and sound designer Gareth Owen (Six), the musical will be an unmissable experience.

The production's casting has yet to be disclosed. This immersive show will include 40 artists roller-skating above and around the audience while performing renowned songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber's repertoire, including AC/DC, Only He, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel, and the legendary Starlight Express.

Starlight Express will be the second production of Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, a collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and West End producer Michael Harrison. Their first collaboration, a new Sunset Boulevard production directed by Jamie Lloyd and starring Nicole Scherzinger, is slated to begin performances at London's Savoy Theatre.

With its roller-skating trains and innovative tale, Starlight Express is a must-see event for long-time fans and newcomers alike. So, prepare to embark on an incredible musical voyage with Starlight Express. Stay tuned for updates!