Starlight Express

Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music), Richard Stilgoe (lyrics) and Arlene Phillips (choreography), with revisions by Don Black (lyrics, 'Next Time You Fall in Love'), David Yazbek (music and lyrics for the second US tour) and Alistair Lloyd Webber & Nick Coler (composer and lyricist respectively, 'I Do' added for the second UK tour). The actors famously perform wearing roller skates. In the story, a child’s train set magically comes to life and the various engines compete to become the “Fastest – engine in the World”! The underdog, Rusty the Steam train, has little chance until he is inspired by the legend of the “Starlight Express” and ultimately defeats his arch-rivals “Greaseball” and ‘Electra before going on to win the hand of the lovely first class coach, Pearl.

It is one of the longest running musicals in West End history with 7,406 performances, but the Broadway production ran for only 761 performances. It is the most popular musical show in Germany where it is shown continuously since 1988. A new production also toured the UK in 2012, produced by Bill Kenwright Productions.