Starlight Express Tickets and Hotel

The Show
Rolling back into London for the first time in 40 years, it's Starlight Express! Created by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, Cats), this charming musical adventure takes the audience inside the head of Control, an imaginative child who dreams at night that his beloved toy trains come to life to compete in a racing championship. With trains coming to compete from all over the world, Starlight Express features an enormous cast of memorable characters such as Rusty (our hero, an engine with a headful of steam to become a champion racer), Pearl (an observation car on the lookout for her perfect match), and Electra (a villainous electric engine buzzing to win the championship title). Delightfully eccentric and packed with catchy tunes, Webber's world-famous musical - performed entirely on roller skates - will be a runaway success with audiences of all ages.

History of Starlight Express
The idea that became Starlight Express was the result of a 1974 collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Thomas the Tank Engine creator Rev. W. Audrey, who planned to create a TV series together. The project fell through, but the idea of a musical based around railway trains stuck with Webber, and in 1981 he began to develop the show with lyricist Richard Stilgoe. The resultant musical was a worldwide success - so much, in fact, that in now holds the world record for most visitors to a musical in a single theatre for its purpose-built venue in Bochum, Germany.

Awards and What the Critics Say
The show's catchy songs and colourful costumes, combined with the novelty of a musical performed entirely on roller skates, struck a chord with audiences and critics from the very beginning. Starlight Express' 1987 Broadway run earned it two Drama Desk Awards, and the costume design even garnered a coveted Tony Award. News of the show's London revival was met with excitement from press - writing for the Guardian, stage performer Chris Cox called the original his "gateway to a love of theatre and performing," and that the show "transports families into a world of high-energy escapism...that has never been more needed."

Why Book Tickets with Hotel Direct to see Starlight Express?
The train you travel on may not sing like the ones in the show, but with Hotel Direct you can be assured of a rail, hotel and theatre package that's tailored to your needs. With our special package rates, it's possible to save up to 50% on select breaks!

Interesting Facts about Starlight Express
The workshopping cast of Starlight Express featured comedian Tracey Ullman, whose comedy series The Tracey Ullman Show famously featured the first short episodes of The Simpsons. By an odd coincidence, Starlight Express' original Broadway run featured actor Jane Krakowski, who would go on to feature on The Simpsons in 2013.