Starlight Express in Bochum

That’s not good news.

On another note I don’t get why the admins have LOCKED the starlight UK thread on the musicals page when we are discussing the workshop from Other Palace as well as future UK plans following the new German production this week.

Wrong choice in my opinion, if it was Frozen I would understand.

Me. I’m here in Bochum now!

So I wrote a review on one of the FB sites. Wondered if was too long for here! But in fact here’s a copy of it. Love to hear other people’s thoughts :-)


Just back in Brighton after a weekend in Bochum seeing the new show. I saw the show Saturday evening and then twice on Sunday. Was a fabulous weekend! On Sunday evening they had invited all the old casts back so the atmosphere was electric. Spent a lot of time playing spot the actor! Arlene gave a lovely speech before the show started and thanked all the casts. At the end they all filled the stage for photos – was great!

So what about the show? I guess the headline is that overall they have done an amazing job. Was clear that the whole team had come together with a shared vision to create something special and I think they achieved it. A lot of the isolated info about songs, arrangements, cuts, costumes etc that has been drip fed over the last few weeks and caused concern among fans, actually when you see the show as a whole, it’s all fine.

There were things I didn’t like, but I think most are just down to my personal taste. Saturday evening I was unsure about lots of stuff (I LOVED the 25th anniversary version, so was hard to say goodbye to it) but by Sunday evening I was much happier.

The show: Considering there is just one new song, the show feels completely different. They have really concentrated on a strong and logical narrative and a lot of problems with storytelling from the past have been ironed out. It is pretty much the same version as The Other Palace from what I could tell. Though exactly how it translates I don’t know as I don’t speak German. There is much more focus (via a new lighting design) on the characters that are singing. There is also a bit more singing between main songs, all plot driven I assume. There is also a lot more light and shade and things happen at a more gentle pace.

The design: Light and sound are completely redesigned. It sounds great. You hear the actor’s voice from where they are standing rather than just everything coming from the front. The set design I slightly struggled with though. I am a set geek and I LOVE physical sets. I have a great fondness for the mega sets of the 80s, before projections came along. I am obsessed with the Starlight bridge and I love the chrome and metal of the tracks, the see-saw, the little gates that go up and down to lead onto the see-saw/bridge etc etc. Now they are still there, but the whole set has been painted black, so that it can show all the projections. It means that you don’t really see them as you did before (sorry, it’s a bit hard to explain what I mean). The bridge which used to be the centre piece is now often high up out of the way so you can see the projections on the back wall. And when it isn’t it’s so dark that it’s great structure is hard to appreciate. It does now have 56 colour changing lights on it’s underside and acts more as part of the lighting design.

Anyway, it may well just be me for which this is an issue. My own misgivings aside, the projections were great. Used to frame scenes to show we are moving to different locations. The station, a freight yard, a field with trees, somewhere with graffiti etc etc. They often changed as characters skated to a new location. Very clever. Lighting is more focused which is good for the storytelling. Overall the show is slightly darker I think. There were lots of scenes in the previous version where they just chucked every colour going at things and lit up the whole theatre. Now we have themes of colours and more focus where the action is. Again a personal thing, I missed the bright sensory overload of colour everywhere. Prob just me though! (Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an incredibly colourful show, just not all the time).

Costumes: All fine I thought! Electra looks great (his costume lights up different colours) and Pearl’s new costume made sense with her new more shy character.

Choreography: Lots of new stuff. Bit less dancing than previous version maybe? Also the skating at times felt a bit slower. I think probably because many of the numbers are slower. Rolling Stock and Right Place in particular. This seemed to have a positive effect on the singing. Never heard the voices sounding so good.

New characters: Were good I thought! Loved Killerwatt, really cool costume. Coco got a great cheer. Mama worked brilliantly. Carrie and Belle were fine, but under developed. Male Volta – really cool.

Cast: Amazing, not a weak link. Was full cast other than Carla Pullen as Carrie all weekend and Dennis Spee as Volta. Had Bianca Atalaya as Mama Sat eve and Sun mat. Reva back for Sun eve though. Bianca was fab but Reva was incredible – had the audience eating out of her hand!

Overall – I think all the fans on here are gonna love it, there’s a lot of good there. I think to be honest is a better musical now which makes much more sense. I think I will grow to love it as I did the old version. I just miss the old design a bit! And I also miss the intense pace and relentless multi-colour lighting of the 25th. But I can’t wait to go again!

2 more posts I wrote....

Should also mention there are some really cool elements of the new lighting design and overall it looks very very slick and they have clearly spent a lot of money on it! It's less cheesy! (Though I am someone that does like cheese. In appropriate amounts lol).


Gosh, so much I've forgotten. Another thing, I loved the new Caboose. Played brilliantly by Daniel Ellison. Really worked. Also the drone sequence in I Am The Starlight was breathtaking. Though the bit after where Rusty's chest becomes a glitter ball - I liked; I think others might feel it spoils the moment!

I’m pretty sure they’re looking at bringing it back to London...

I thought the new version was very good but I had lots of issues with it.

If you’re going to change Papa to Mama - at least give her a different song or something. It was word for word what Papa said and sang. Why change sex? What’s the issue?

The two new carraiges seemed change for changing sake. Cutting Lotta locomotion is a bad idea because it’s THAT song that explains to the audience who they are and what they do. It was unclear. The costumes also didn’t work.

The entrance to the show has now lost all its magic also. The “skate around” as it’s called used to give me goosebumps, was one of the best moments in theatre and now it’s abrupt and GONE!!! Whyy on earth did they cut that?!

Rolling Stock too has lost the power, danger and strength it used to have and the dance break is now 1/5th of the skating/jumps/tricks it used to be.

AC/DC is ruined. Electra’s choreography has all been cut and it’s now just boring. The new gray costume and wig horrible. The components just stand there and hardly dance anymore!

Starlight Sequence used to be the biggest goosebump giver of any song EVER for me. The new hydraulic/drone/glitterball version is amazing but doesn’t work as well as the old green laser one. The constant key changes between Mama and Rusty really stops the emotional crescendo.



The new Rockie number doesn’t work. It’s slower, less energetic and I just couldn’t put my finger on why the audience didn’t love it as much. Again the magic has gone and the new costumes awful.

The races are now confusing, I missed Du Allein (Only You) and the cut Megamix with the new medley and ending was also odd. You didn’t know if the show had finished or not.

I liked many of the new changes but for me - they have ruined the show. 6/10. (It used to be 9.5/10)

I’m really sad about the intro. The bit where Rusty and the carriages appeared over the bridge was one of the most magical moments in Theatre ever. Sounds like they’ve totally ruined that for a cheap joke.

I hope they’re open to changes over the next few months.

This is what I did like -

I like the female engine Coco.
I liked Brexit the UK train.
I liked some of the incidental/recitative music and hints of other songs
I loved Whistle At Me and the jokes about Pearl asking Rusty can he whistle.
I liked Pearl being First Class and not the Observation Car. I also liked her being Pearl coloured and not pink (although I didn’t like the new wig and off headgear Georgina had to wear.
I liked that race 2 is now long (it used to be very short)
LOVED the drones and Rusty lift but the rest of Starlight Sequence was a mess.
I love the new inline trax stunt skaters they brought in 2010 or whenever it was.
I liked Dinah being made more of a comedy role.
I love the fireworks on the skates for Greaseball.
I liked Cabooses costume and that he mentions fake news. Gutted they cut his song Ganz Allien from Act 1. It makes the part much smaller and you really get to see the sweet side of CB. This makes much more sense when he turns in Act 2.
Loved Pearl being saved on the bridge in race 4 (this used to be on the flat stage.
Loved the role KillerWatt and his costume though again it was change for change sake.
I hated I Got Me but actually liked it as incidental music and when Rusty wins the race.

Generally none of the changes make the show ANY better, in general they have ruined what was theatre magic. I asked 20 people who saw the same show and everyone’s opinion was the same. It’s good and works but the creatives have ruined what was theatre gold. Next year Debbie Heardon (the big boss there) is retiring so I really wonder what will come of Starlight in Bochum.


I think they will change lots of
It back after a few years. That said the German team have nothing to do with the new show, RUG came in, told them to do it and that was that!

I also didn't know Debbie was retiring. She's been there almost since the start hasn't she? As resident choreographer/director is that right? I am never quite sure how involved Stephen Rosso, Michael Fraley, Ruth Stephens and Arlene are day to day and what they all do. The latter I suspect minimally day to day.

Anyway, where have you heard Mehr putting a date on how long they want it to run just out of interest? I've not seen this anywhere. Surely they can't predict 5-10 years. At any one point a producer can only really say it's likely or unlikely to close within 6 months ish!

I don't really know the economics of running this production. What I do know is I have been going for 10 years and it is almost never full. Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon tend to be busy ish. Sunday afternoon can be very quiet. I haven't noticed a change in that time! I guess it doesn't need to sell out to make money.

Is it well advertised in Germany beyond Bochum and the Ruhr? Do Germans come from further afield to visit?

Also anyone know of individual ticket discounts? I only ever see Mother's Dad, Valentine's Day, Friends and Family etc etc but rarely cheap tickets for the solo traveller? Every year they do seats at the price of the bday (€30 last year) but that's it!

Mehr! or Maik Klokow have said in several interviews that they expect the show to run for another 5-10 years now with the new version. Prior to initiating the changes they apparently just gave it another 6-12 months if I remember correctly. That could of course just be another selling point as to why people should come and see the show now...

I have only really been going quite a lot in the past year (17/18 Cast) and the 12/13 Cast year and the 06-08 years, and just once or twice a year in the years between that, and they usually were able to pretty much sell out the place during school holidays, especially summer or Christmas, but last year, even with ticket offers throughout the year, you could still easily get decent tickets during those peak periods on the day.

As I’m from Düsseldorf myself originally, so not too far from Bochum, I’m not sure how well it is advertised. Bochum heavily relies on tourists coming to see Starlight but I remember an article recently where they said that about half the visitors are from the broad area.

As for ticket discounts. They usually have one on the Open Day (also available online I believe), and they did Black Friday sales in the past years (30€ or 60€).

The local rag ran some interesting statistics for the 30th anniversary:

89% of all Germans (well those asked in a survey) knew Starlight Express by name

Last season they had 416,000 visitors (not a bad number at all)

49% of all visitors hail from North Rhine-Westphalia (so presumably daytrippers), 10% from Baden-Württemberg, 8% from Bavaria and 6% from Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz respectively (can't be arsed to look up the English names of these states, sorry). Those from further afield stay 1-2 nights and do some sightseeing in the area as well.

Inn 1987 (before the show opened) Bochum counted 166,000 overnight stays in their hotels, 2017 they had 646,000. Which is of course not ONLY to do with Starlight Express, but a significant increase (especially compared with other cities in the area).

So... I don't think they really NEED to do a lot of marketing. People know it exists and is there to be seen like a theme park or something that'll never go away. I'm sure a bigger marketing buzz would sell a few more tickets, but they seem to be content. It helps that there is so little competition in the Ruhrgebiet area too. Düsseldorf's Capitol Theatre is only showing mediocre tours these days, so that leaves the overpriced Stage Entertainment theatre in Oberhausen (and I suppose there are several who combine both shows).

I'm also quite sure the city would be terrified of losing Starlight Express and might help with some nice hidden subsidies somewhere.

And yes, if they had any sense, they would do regular performances in English, not just for English musical theatre fans, but primarily for people from neighbouring countries. The Netherlands are just an hour's drive away for example.