THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN AT THE CHURCHILL THEATRE, BROMLEY

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 in order to look into the homes and lives of those who live – as she used to do – right by the tracks (we’ve all done it, we’ve been Rachel wondering what is going on behind those walls and windows, haven’t we? Travelling into London, we know the houses she is passing very well). It has a mystery (or rather, a number of mysteries) at its heart, and deep, dark secrets that, one by one, bubble to the surface much like Rachel’s trapped memories.

The Girl On The Train is also a study in human nature. All life is here, as they say. There is no one entirely likeable character, and yet they all – even the murderer to a point – are understandable. As mentioned earlier, we might all be Rachel, but then we might all be Anna, or Megan, Scott, or Tom. There is something of us in all of them. Perhaps it is this that keeps the audience so entranced.

But then it might be the acting. It is exceptional. This is a play in which the most subtle of movements, a sound, a flick of the hair, a stumble, a look… these things mean something, so they need to be on point, and they are. Nothing is wasted, everything adds to the story and the mystery and the eventual unravelling of it all.

Photo by Manuel Harlan

The set is also wonderful. The dirty, sad flat in which Rachel lives in brilliantly contrasts with the light, bright home that both Tom and Anna and Scott and Megan have created for themselves. But which, really, is a happy place? Could it be none of them?

The Girl On The Train is subtle and clever. It is heartbreaking and fascinating.

The Girl On The Train is on at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, until 19th October: https://churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-the-girl-on-the-train-bromley-2019

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: REBECCA at The Charing Cross Theatre, London

Image
  Tickets: Gifted Date: 18th September 2023 Seat: G3 Rating: 3 Stars From the first chilling note to the final fiery scene, Rebecca is an all-out melodrama, complete with sinister plots, a soaring score, and characters that wouldn’t look out of place in a panto – but that’s all part of its charm. It’s an over-the-top, entirely gorgeous piece of outlandish theatre, and I absolutely loved it. Although, that’s not to say there aren’t a few issues.  One of the biggest problems with Rebecca is that something seems to have been a little lost in translation. The story still makes sense (although perhaps knowing the Daphne du Maurier novel or the 1940 Hitchcock adaptation with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine does help with that), but some of the lyrics just seem too on the nose, or just not clever enough to be memorable. Perhaps the original German gives a different feeling, but in English, there are a few moments that get lost and aren’t as strong as they might be.  Plus, this musical is
Read more

Review: BRONCO BILLY at The Charing Cross Theatre, London

Image
Photo credit: The Other Richard Date: 31st January 2024 Seat: M6 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  Adapting older movies into musicals seems to be a trend these days, some with better results than others, and Bronco Billy , with a book by Dennis Hackin and music and lyrics by Chip Rosenbloom and John Torres (with additional lyrics by Michele Brourman), is one of the better ones – if anything, it’s improved the film and made it a lot more enjoyable for everyone, which is something every audience member is sure to appreciate.  The main word that can be used to describe Bronco Billy is fun. It’s wild and wacky and loud and bright, and there are some wonderful characters and some lovely songs, but really when you leave, it’s the fun you’ve had that stays with you, and that’s no bad thing – if you’re feeling a bit down because January lasted for sixty billion months and you need a quick pick-me-up, Bronco Billy might just do the trick.  The story is about a travelling circus of mi
Read more

Review: SLEEPING BEAUTY at The Hawth, Crawley

Image
Date: 9th December 2023  Seat: L3 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 5 Stars  You can’t get much more classic than Sleeping Beauty when it comes to the annual panto, and at The Hawth in Crawley this year, it’s this story that takes centre stage – but don’t worry if you think you’ve seen it all before; there are some fantastic surprises in store, including some rather impressive prehistoric pets, fire performers, and plenty of musical theatre references throughout.  Why musical theatre? Because two of the panto’s stars are West End performers with some notable credits to their names – that’s Carrie Hope Fletcher (who plays Carrie-Bosse) from such shows as Les Miserables and Heathers , and Scott Paige (The Good Spirit Moonbeam), who’s starred in The Great British Bake Off Musical and The Addams Family . Add to that some wholesomeness from Andy Day, a CBeebies presenter every child (and parent) in the audience is sure to know, and you’ve got the ingredients for a fantastic show.  Fletcher
Read more