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Starlight Express
Motiv8
The Octagon Theatre, Yeovil
Thursday 12th May 2016
I am beginning to suspect that there is a new force of nature in our county and its name is Dan Warr-Extance. The ambition, drive, commitment, leadership and sheer talent required to deliver the remarkable spectacle I witnessed on Thursday evening at the Octagon marks this director as something very special.
The simple story tells of a young child’s imagination conjuring up a world championship race amongst his toy trains resulting in the decrepit steam train Rusty finding the inspiration from the mystical Starlight Express to triumph over the flashier, more modern competition Greaseball and Electra. Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s music and Richard Stilgoe’s lyrics offer a smorgasbord of musical styles, mostly disco and pop but interspersed with country, gospel blues and the occasional Lloyd-Webber belter like the Starlight Sequence all of which are entertaining enough in themselves but it is the spectacle which sets the show apart from the norm.
The challenges for Motiv8 and Dan Warr-Extance were spectacular: To create spectacular racetrack on stage, make a huge collection of spectacular costumes, sing songs unfamiliar to most of the young cast in a spectacular range of styles, learn countless spectacular dance routines, oh and probably most spectacular of all ……..do it all on roller skates!
As an audience we were presented with genuine spectacle (right, that’s the last time I use the word – just assume it was spectacular!): A large skateway circling high above the upstage complete with sweeping ramps down to stage level and two ‘death slides’ dropping precipitously from the highest level. The lighting, too was dramatic.
We meet Control – the child who’s imagination was creating the magic, played with great clarity by Ebony Saunders and Madison Parks-Keirle, who sets the ball rolling. Control leaves the stage but by voice-over keeps us on track and up to speed with the progress of the races throughout the show. Then on come the trains and ‘Wow!’ is the instant reaction. All skating with confidence, speed, grace and ability and looking astonishing, adorned in sparkling, colourful dazzling costume (made by the group!) the visual impact was amazing. First the Rolling Stock: Greaseball, Ruhrgold, Turnov, Nintendo, Trax and the Trax Marshalls (Mark Extance-Warr, Kris Harvey, Matt Rogers, Dan Extance-Warr, Jez Smith, Zoe Extance, Theresa Williams, Keira Bird, Emily Davis, Holly Mainstone, Daniel Wood, John Warr and Lauren Davies). Then Rusty (James Grant) and the glamour of the carriages- Pearl (Danielle Kennedy), Dinah (Felicity Keirle), Buffy (Anya Paddock) and Duvay (Sophie Haigh) who together gave us Call Me Rusty and the girls alone singing Whole Lotta Locomotion.
Pinching myself to remember that this is an amateur show and that we are not sat in the West End I took in the quality of singing, dancing and acting with a slight feeling of disbelief. This continued as the rest of the cast were presented through the numbers Freight, AC/DC and Pumping Iron: Dustin (James Newton), Flat Top (Pearce Williams) Red Caboose (James Bamford), Wrench (India Essex), Purse (Amy Phelps), Joule (Gemma Jackson), Volta (Amy Burke), The three Hip-Hop Hoppers – 1 (Alex Archibald), 2 (Dan Warr-Extance [!]), 3 (Andrew Parker) and the striking Electra (Adam Ward). It would not be until a little later that we finally met the golden-voiced Joe Chester as Poppa.
It is very rare that I will name-check an entire cast (I hope I haven’t missed anyone!) but for me there was no weak link in this show: everyone contributed at the highest level in song, dance, movement, energy and sheer presence. However, even amidst this high quality group there were several high spots for me: Pearl’s Make Up My Heart showed Danielle Kennedy’s voice and movement off beautifully, Felicity Kierle, as Dinah gave us a great (and very funny) country ballad with U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D and the dramatic duet between Joe Chester’s Poppa and James Grant’s Rusty for the Starlight Sequence demonstrating two singers on top form. But is was the ensemble gospel-inspired number Light At The End Of The Tunnel which epitomised the joy, energy and quality of this company that will stay with me for a long time.
The production team including Musical Director Ali Warlow, Vocal Support Chelsea Wood, Assistant Director Adam Ward, the ‘Bandstanders’ Helen, Caz, Hannah, Poppy, Rob, Eve, Paul and Sarah, all of the hundreds of helpers, seamstresses, back stage team, parents, families and ultimately, the remarkable Dan should be inordinately proud of the result of their hard work and dedication: What a show!
Aaaand… a special mention for the fourth Trax Marshal, Tom Saunders who, in his first appearance in a musical certainly gave his all, sadly not mentioned in the programme so almost missed in this review: Well done Tom!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to see it.