Andrew Lloyd Webber’s innovative hit Starlight Express will steam back into London next summer with a major new production which will take up residence in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park.
Acclaimed director Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, The Little Big Things) will take charge of the production which will feature new choreography by Ashley Nottingham (Pacific Overtures), with original choreographer Arlene Phillips taking on the role of creative dramaturg.
Unveiling plans for the new production, Lloyd Webber said: “I am thrilled that Starlight Express will be powering down the tracks again. The world’s first truly immersive musical will this time be an experience like no other. Watch out for the big new plot twist and you will discover why steam power is the future of the railway.”
Director Sheppard said: “Nothing comes close to the thrill of Starlight Express and it’s a privilege to be directing this brand-new production, which will bring audiences right up close to all the music, the wonder and the action that makes this show so iconic. We hope it will take London by storm all over again, and be both a celebration of this legendary work, as well as passing the train set to a new generation in a big, bold, and reimagined way. We can’t wait to get our skates on!”
The creative team tasked with bringing the show to a modern 21st century audience, will also include set designer Tim Hatley (Back to the Future), video designer Andrzej Goulding (Life of Pi), costume designer Gabriella Slade (Six), lighting designer Howard Hudson (& Juliet) and sound designer Gareth Owen (MJ the Musical) with new orchestrations and musical supervision by Matthew Brind.
Featuring music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, Starlight Express was first seen in the West End in 1984 and went on to become one of the longest-running musicals in West End history with over 7,000 performances.
The new fully immersive production which will feature a roller-skating cast of 40 will be the second show produced by Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, the new partnership between Lloyd Webber and acclaimed international producer Michael Harrison. The first show by Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, Sunset Boulevard, begins performances at the Savoy Theatre in London this week.
Angela Thomas
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