Superb skating spectacle

The Starlight Express
TSB Arena, Wellington runs until July 7.
Reviewed by MICHELLE DUFF.

At the risk of sounding like a cliche, The Starlight Express can only be described as a skate extravaganza.

I'll be honest. Last night, on the way down to the TSB arena in Wellington for the opening of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, I was feeling skeptical. A musical on roller skates? Really?

The story goes like this a group of toy trains, each carriage and engine played by an actor on roller skates, come to life in the mind of a small boy. The audience never sees the boy, known as Control, but his disembodied voice booms instructions from above as the trains prepare to race to be the fastest train in the world.

Andrew Lloyd Webber originally wrote this in the '70s, with the intention of making it into an animated film. Instead, he developed it into a musical for the benefit of his children. It debuted on London's West End in 1984, and it ran for 18 years.

Given this history, the observation of my friend 10 minutes into the performance "It's like a Disney film, but on roller skates!" was apt.

To say the show is impressive is an understatement. The costumes are all you'd expect detailed, glittering, over-the-top ensembles fit for such an ambitious show.

The 28-strong cast learned to skate during rehearsals. This made me nervous.

Though I was half waiting for a rogue wheel to spin an actor into an unsuspecting audience member, this didn't happen. There were only a couple of quickly recovered stumbles, and the singing and dancing was flawless.

The storyline revolves around Rusty, the steam train, who wants to win the race and the heart of Pearl, the observation car.

Thwarting his plans are the cocky Greaseball, the diesel engine, and Electra, the flashy electric train.

The show is stolen by Electra, played by Englishman Mykal Rand. With easily the coolest costume wild red and blue hair, sparkly facepaint, and a futuristic silver suit he zaps through the two hours in a storm of theatrical posturing and wildly camp manoeuvres.

He dances so well you forget he's wearing roller skates.

The Starlight Express won't be for everyone but for sheer entertainment spectacle it's worth it.

If you've got an 8-year-old with a birthday coming up, it's not to be missed.

- © Fairfax NZ News