Full Steam Ahead for Starlight Express

Lawrence Poole

WHEN it takes six months to remove all traces of a show from a theatre following an 18-year run, taking it on the road where sets have to be assembled in matter of days is probably as daunting a prospect as there is in theatre.

After dominating the West End along with Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s other veteran production, Cats, for the best part of two decades Starlight Express is to take to the road in the UK for the first time, opening up in Manchester.

Wisely the team behind the show have decided to replace the tracks, which allowed the cast to weave through the audience at pace on roller skates during its run in the capital, with a 3-D film backdrop to recreate much of the action, 21st century style.

There is a wonderful generational baton being passed too in the updating of the show’s design, as moviemaker Julian Napier, son of John and designer of the original set, has put the revolutionary film together.

Not that the skaters intermingling with the audience has been discarded to the cutting floor though, with the cast and the 3-D film working in unison to create what is said to be a completely visceral show.

Based on the traditional children’s story of The Little Engine That Could, I caught up with the lead in the show, James Gillan, who plays Rusty in this tale of teamwork and the human spirit uniting in triumph:

James could just you give us a brief outline of how you first got the part?
I was in it first in the West End. I auditioned for it is as it’s a show I’ve always loved since I was in college. I was very homesick at college in London, as I’m actually from Glasgow, as you can tell by my crazy, Sheena Easton accent! So I went home but they asked me to come back down and I reluctantly agreed, but when I saw Starlight Express I thought that I just had to do that show. So I managed to pass an audition and did it for a while when I was younger and when the opportunity to go on tour with it came up I jumped at it.

Have you managed to see the show in action with the 3-D film accompanying it yet?
No, I’ve only seen the film part, but I think already it looks fantastic and rivals anything that is out there on tour or I’ve seen before. I think it is going to be a real experience for the audience. With the show in London it was just so exhilarating with the skaters skating all around you, I mean you could practically touch them but they had to find a new way to take it on tour. So they came up with a way they could take it to the big theatres, without having to put it on at arenas, which would have been far too expensive. So this is absolutely the best idea they could of come up with.

Have rehearsals got under way yet?
They have for some people, the new members of the cast who haven’t been in it before. As I’ve already been in the show I don’t need to join in until later so it’s like being off school!

Did it take you a while to master the skating as it obviously highly skilled and potentially quite dangerous?
When I saw it while I was at college I got myself a pair of skates and just started practising. I always wanted to do the show and never thought I’d ever get to do the lead. Also while I was at college they had this skate school going on where a lot of college leavers would go to that and get trained up, ready for auditions. So I went to that for six months before I got called in to do something else.

Could you tell us a bit more about your character Rusty?
It’s a complete Cinderella, rags-to-riches story; you know young boy does good. He falls in love with this girl (Pearl) who doesn’t want to know, but he has great faith and eventually he manages to win the girl of his dreams. She goes off with loads of different trains first before realising I’m the right one for her!

Have you ever had a romantic theatre lead similar to this before?
No, not really. I think this is as romantic as I get. As you can see I’m a very slight, weedy kind of guy and I’m not really a strapping hunk. I’m the underdog really.

With visiting lots of different theatres are there a few logistical problems in fitting the set and story in?
No, not really as they’ve got a set that is completely adaptable and slots in to every theatre. It has to be right, as there can be no room for manoeuvre as it would be too dangerous. It’s a high-risk show and they have to get it right.

In 1997 you were nominated for Best Supporting Performance for Tommy in the Laurence Olivier Awards. That must have been a great confidence boost personally so early on in your career?
I actually at the time thought they must of made a mistake as I was only 21 or 22 and basically didn’t do very much in the show. I even called up my agent to check. It was an ensemble piece in the show and they must have liked me. Awards don’t really mean that much to me other than being something nice to have, but it was heaven for my mum as she got to see Trevor Eve and nearly died!

You’ve managed to squeeze in quite a lot of Shakespeare as well so far. How was working at its spiritual home, the Globe Theatre?
It was completely the most amazing thing I’ve done, but still baffles me and something I find really difficult. If you’re someone like Mark Rylands who is king of Shakespeare he does it every day and it shows as he’s amazing. It’s a discipline you have to keep up every day. So being there for six months was amazing, but as soon as you leave it sort of leaves with you, I’d love to go back.

Would working for the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford interest you?
Yes it would, but I think sometimes you find you niche and sometimes you don’t. I went to see them for a general meeting and there was nothing there for me, which was a shame. I came to a conclusion recently that you should really stick with what you’re good at and my talents lie in singing and dancing. I’ve tried TV, radio and theatre and like theatre best.

Are you excited about going on tour?
I’m really looking forward to this tour as it’s not like the one week tours for some shows, it’s five or six weeks, which is a completely luxury as you get time to settle and check out new towns. You also are not constantly worrying about sorting out the next digs either. I am also thrilled to get out of London, as it’s just hellish. The tour also includes a stop in Edinburgh too, which will be a sort of home show for me, so that should be great.

The tour continues well into next year. Are you intending to stay for the whole run?
Yes. At the moment it is scheduled until next September and may continue after that, if I’m enjoying I may stay on longer as well. Earlier in my career I didn’t like staying in things too long, but now there is something quite comforting about having job security in such a great show.

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