These Theatre Thoughts

Paula Hawkins’ novel,   The Girl On The Train,   was astonishing. It captured the imaginations of people across the world, and it became a best-seller seemingly instantly. And no wonder; the story of Rachel Watson and what she may or may not have seen when it comes to the disappearance of a local woman is engrossing and certainly keeps the reader turning pages. But would it work on the stage? To answer that question: yes, it would. And it does. In fact, the stage adaptation is just as engrossing, just as astonishing, and just as captivating. There is a feeling of loss and confusion throughout, meaning that the audience is able to empathise with Rachel who is feeling these things after the breakdown of her marriage to Tom, and his subsequent remarriage to Anna, who also happens to have had his child, something that Rachel was never able to do. Photo by Manuel Harlan But this story is more than that of Rachel, a woman on the edge who has lost everything and who travels by train ...