Nowt2Do.Com went along to the Press Launch for Starlight Express on the 1st December 2004, and had the pleasure of chatting to producer David Ian and choreography/Strictly Come Dancing star Arleen Phillips about the all new tour.

N2D: The joy of this show is of course the fact that it appeals to everyone, it's the perfect family musical, it's something very different, it's exciting, it's in your face and will bring joy to everyone. It is a great show to take a kid whose never seen a musical before to, because they will leave having loved every second, it did so well in London running for over 18 years and having 7 million people see it, it is an institution in Musical Theatre, but how on earth did you start to think about touring this show?

DI: Well for us, we always wanted to tour Starlight but knew it had to remain special, we knew we had to bring the skaters into the audience still and make the audience part of the action, and that brought about the idea of this fantastic 3D film we use. We wanted Starlight to live on and encourage a new generation of theatre-goers, and it's doing that.

AP: I saw the show last night in Manchester and the theatre was completely full, the audience loved the show and it was so mixed. That's the great thing about Starlight, the sports element brings along the Dad's, the extreme skaters with their tricks bring the teenagers, and they all come out with the same smile on their faces, it's just such a joyous show.

N2D:  David I know you used to be an actor...did you ever audition?!

DI: Well in fact I was asked by Arleen to audition for the role of Greaseball, but in the end I didn't end up auditioning as the guy was was going to leave, stayed on, but boy I'd have loved to have been in the show. It'd have been hard work though.

AP: Too right! Not only are there around 7 weeks of intense rehearsals but before that you have to go to Skate School for a month. All our cast have done that, and you forget just how tough it is to sing, dance, act and skate all in once, they make it look effortless.

N2D: Are you excited about bringing the show to Bristol?

DI: Defiantly, Bristol have had such a great year for theatre, we brought Cats here not too long ago, and of course you lucky people had Mary Poppins, so we want to continue that excellence and we're so happy that Starlight is the next major musical to follow Mary Poppins, as we are just going to keep on pushing that envelope. The show is already nearly sold out, and we know everyone whose got a ticket is going to have an amazing time.

AP: The show just captures the audience, it really does, I never thought it'd be this big, this successful and still get the response it gets all those years ago when I first worked on it.

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S
 “STARLIGHT EXPRESS”
TO TOUR THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME
AND OPENS AT

The Bristol Hippodrome on 26^th January 2005

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit musical, “STARLIGHT EXPRESS”, is to tour the UK for the first time and is coming to The Bristol Hippodrome on 26^th January 2005 where it will play a limited season until 5^th March.

“STARLIGHT EXPRESS” is second only to “Cats” as the world’s longest running musical.  It opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre on 27 March 1984, where it then played to more than eight million people until its final performance on 12 January 2002.  During its 18 years in the West End the show took a staggering £140 million at the box office and  achieved international success with productions in the USA on Broadway, in Las Vegas and on tour; Japan, Australia and Germany where it is still playing.

This new and redesigned production of “STARLIGHT EXPRESS” is being specially created for the UK tour by members of the show’s original creative team, including legendary designer John Napier (“Cats”, “Les Misérables”, “Miss Saigon”) and choreographer Arlene Phillips (“Grease”, “Saturday Night Fever”).  

The original West End production with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe was directed by Trevor Nunn. The UK tour will feature additional lyrics by David Yazbek.

The UK tour of “STARLIGHT EXPRESS” will be produced by David Ian for Clear Channel Entertainment in association with The Really Useful Group Ltd.

UK NATIONAL TOUR DATES 2004/2005  

 The Manchester Opera House (on-sale Tues 27^th April)
1 November – 4 December 
Box office number:  0870 401 9000

Empire Theatre, Sunderland (on-sale Tues 4^th May)
8 December – 22 January
Box office number:  0870 602 1130

The Bristol Hippodrome (on-sale Mon 26^th April)
 26 January – 5 March:  0870 607 7500

The New Theatre, Oxford (on-sale Tues 4^th May)
9 March – 26 March
Box office number:  0870 606 3500

  Edinburgh Playhouse (on-sale Tues 27^th April)
 30 March – 7 May
Box office number: 0870 606 3424

The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (on-sale date tbc)
11 May – 18 June
Box office number:  023 8071 1811

  Liverpool Empire (on-sale Tues 4^th May)
22 June – 30 July
Box office number:  0870 606 3536

Starlight Facts

STARLIGHT EXPRESS opened on 27 March 1984 and closed at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London on the 12 January 2002.

After a run of 18 years and 7409 performances STARLIGHT EXPRESS was the second longest-running musical in British Theatre history, behind

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s other smash-hit, CATS.

The London production was seen by over 7 million people

Although only 24 people appear on stage, over 200 are involved in making STARLIGHT EXPRESS happen every night.

New casts attend skate school prior to opening in the show. Skate school runs for 4 weeks prior to 7 weeks of vocal, staging and choreography rehearsals.

There have been 8 productions since 1984 including London, Broadway, a US/Canadian tour, Las Vegas, Japan, Australia/Japan tour, Germany and Mexico.

An estimated 16 million people have seen the show across the globe and the estimated gross box office world-wide is £352 million

When the set was first built, 750 gallons of paint and varnish were used together with 6 miles of timber, two and a half acres of sheet wood and 60 tonnes of steel. There were 1,500 light bulbs on the set, 1,200 lanterns and 6,000 pea lights on the back wall to create the star effect.

During the course of the London production, 20,000 pairs of skate laces, 25,000 skate wheels and 15,000 toe stops were used. The skaters got through 1,200,000 boxes of tissues and 12,000 gallon bottles of water. 2,000 pairs of false lashes, 8,000 tins of base make-up and 2,000 tubs of make-up remover were applied.

The top speed recorded by a skater was 40 mph during a rehearsal.

An army video training film had STARLIGHT EXPRESS as one of the London landmarks for orienteering.

Mel B, of The Spice Girls, trained in the Skate School for STARLIGHT EXPRESS in 1995.

Alan Newman, a postman from Kent, saw the London production 750 times and spent an estimated £21,000. He always sat in the same seat - Stalls L23.

STARLIGHT EXPRESS is the first UK musical to feature polaroid 3D technology.

STARLIGHT EXPRESS was nominated for 7 Tony Awards, winning 1 for ‘Best Costume Designer’.

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