Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS closed at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre on Sunday 3 May 2026 after a two-year revival. A new world tour of the production launches at Curve Leicester in May 2027 before visiting cities across the UK with further dates in Canada and Australia to be announced.
The beloved musical made a triumphant return to London when the new production opened to widespread critical acclaim at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in June 2024. It went on to win multiple awards including Best Off-West End Show at the 2025 West End Wilma Awards.
This thrilling new production has been redesigned for theatres across the UK and beyond, bringing all the spectacle and high-speed energy of the London production to your doorstep. The world tour opens at Curve Leicester from 9 to 22 May 2027 before visiting Liverpool, Glasgow, Sunderland, Birmingham and Southampton, with many more cities still to be confirmed.
Curve, Leicester
9 May to 22 May 2027
Liverpool Empire
26 May to 12 June 2027
Glasgow Theatre Royal
16 June to 3 July 2027
Sunderland Empire
14 July to 31 July 2027
Birmingham Hippodrome
11 August to 11 September 2027
Mayflower, Southampton
15 September to 25 September 2027
Further dates to be announced.
Seen by over 30 million people worldwide, STARLIGHT EXPRESS is a true theatrical event that fully immerses audiences of all ages in a world of speed, song and storytelling. A cast of 40 performers on roller skates whizzes around and above the audience performing some of musical theatre’s most beloved songs including AC/DC, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel and the iconic Starlight Express.
As a child’s train set magically comes to life and the engines race to become the fastest in the world, Rusty the steam train has little hope of winning until he is inspired by the legend of the Starlight Express.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. The production is directed by Luke Sheppard with set design by Tim Hatley, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Gareth Owen and video design by Andrzej Goulding. New orchestrations are by Matthew Brind with Andrew Lloyd Webber, musical supervision by Matthew Brind and David Wilson, musical direction by Denise Crowley and casting by Pearson Casting.
A sensory feast for the eyes, Starlight Express gets your heart racing around the track as characters compete in a contest of energy supplies. Can trusty Rusty the steam engine match the speed of the new diesel-powered locomotive? With buffet carts, freight trains and dining cars cheering them on, anything can happen.
Jeevan Braich’s West End debut as Rusty is one to watch. He is phenomenal in every way, and Jade Marvin as Momma McCoy is a delight to watch. Each member of the cast adds another layer to this production in what feel like genderless roles in many ways (they are trains, after all).
The music is secondary to the visual spectacle that takes place on stage. The mediocre songs aren’t the reason to go and see this show, and it makes sense why the original cast recording has passed me by all these years. The songs just aren’t that catchy. The story is a bit dull but none of this matters. The set, the costumes and the roller-skating backflips make you feel like you’re watching the Eurovision Song Contest at the IMAX cinema, immersed in the biggest spectacle of the year. An absolute must-see.
The final 2026 London cast of Starlight Express was led by Gavin Adams as Rusty, Jade Marvin as Momma McCoy, Olivia Ringrose as Greaseball, Asher Forth as Electra, Sophie Naglik as Pearl, Georgia Pemberton as Dinah, Jaydon Vijn as Hydra and Scott Hayward as Alternate Rusty.
The ensemble included Jamie Addison, Jessie Angell, Ollie Augustin, Evan Taylor Benyacar, Charles Butcher, Cletus Chan, Tamara Verhoven Clyde, Jamie Cruttenden, Kelly Downing, Isaac Edwards, Maddy Erzan-Essien, Sam Gallacher, Lucy Glover, Amiyah Goodall, Dante Hutchinson, Iwan James, Lewis Kidd, Hannah Kiss, Nicole Louise-Lewis, Bethany Rose Lythgoe, Temi Olawole, RED, Ashley Rowe, Sheridan, Dieuwke Tonissen, Nicky Wong Rush, Charlie Russell, Lara Vina Uzcatia and Amber Weston.
