Review: Starlight Express

STACY SQUIRES/The Press

FULL STEAM AHEAD: The Starlight Express cast takes a bow at Westpac Stadium

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Once upon a time, performers were considered accomplished if they could act, sing and dance, but after Andrew Lloyd Webber's second-longest running London musical Cats, the triple treat is simply not enough.

Starlight Express requires its entire cast to act, sing, dance and rollerskate all at the same time.

Lloyd Webber had the idea for Starlight Express more than 30 years ago, inspired by Thomas the Tank Engine. It wasn't until the 80s that he finally created his Cinder-fella story, centred on Rusty (Brit Jamie Golding) the outdated Steam Engine taking on his more modern, muscular counterparts in a race to win the love of the pretty observation car, Pearl (NZ Idol finalist Rebecca Wright, who has a powerful voice).

This tale of boy meets caboose becomes more complex as more than 20 characters vie for attention.

Rusty's main competition is race champ, diesel engine Greaseball (expat Kiwi Matthew Cutts, who has great presence plus a great voice), a Union Pacific engine and Elvis impersonator. Then there's snazzy electric train Electra (a showstopping Mykal Rand) who can go either way AC or DC (geddit?)

With the help of Obi-Wan steam guru Poppa (American Lothair Eaton), and the mythical Starlight Express, can Rusty win Pearl over?

It's not so much the corny story we're here for, but the musical-on-wheels spectacle.

It all takes place in the dreamworld of a nine-year-old train fanatic, but the dangers for the players are real. On a circular stage full of ramps, there's a steep fall into the audience if anything goes awry.

The costumes are incredibly detailed, and expertly co-ordinated to fit the characters. You can see train wheels on sleeves, shoulderpads designed to look like cabooses, and glow-in-the-dark red wheels on Electra's skates.

The excellent hip-hop dancers deserve a special mention. Their moves, timing and singing were great, made much more testing by being on rollerskates.

This is a highly polished production that deserves to do well, despite taking place amid the recession, school holidays and swine flu. There's something here for all the family: an exciting race, underdog tale, love story and a fireworks-filled fantasy.

Think of all the men you know who still harbour a boyhood love of trains and roll them along for a good time.

* Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express, Westpac Arena, Christchurch, Saturday, July 11, 7.30pm. Until July 19