Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 21st June 2025
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
I had heard very good things about The Girl On The Train, but had never read the original novel (from author Paula Hawkins, 2015) nor the film adaptation that followed it the following year. So it was with high expectations but no real knowledge that I approached tonight’s play.
The story revolves around a missing person’s case where principle witness Rachel Watson believes she saw Megan (the missing person) just before she disappeared. The trouble is that she saw this glimpsed from a train and Rachel is rather unreliable due to some hefty personal issues…
Our leading lady, Laura Whitmore (playing the aforementioned Rachel) was very strong, especially her drunken, forgetful portrayal. Despite her obvious flaws she elicited much sympathy, which is a testament to Laura who did an outstanding job of carrying the play – she seemed to be on the stage 100% of the time.
The rest of the cast was equally strong with Edward Harrison (Rachel’s ex husband, Tom), Zena Carswell (Anna – the new Mrs Watson), Samuel Collings (Scott Hipwell) and Daniel Burke (Psychiatrist Kamal Abdic) all artfully played with vigor and passion.
I’ll briefly single out for special mention the other central female character; Megan Hipwell. Only ever seen through other’s recollections, this was a fascinating character study and so well executed (pun intended just a little) by Freya Parks. I loved her performance throughout.
I understand that they didn’t soften the edges of these fractured characters (especially lead, Rachel) as these very cracks make them all so believable and also keep us guessing who done it as they all have such excellent motives and opportunities. Kudos to adapters Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel and director Loveday Ingram for that and getting such tense, emotionally charged performances from all concerned – bravo.
This was a fascinating study into memory and manipulation. How we can doubt ourselves and others without too much invitation. Also, the glimpse behind the thin blue line revealing much about police investigations and the difficulty they have with conflicting testimony from very unreliable witnesses (think drink). Paul McEwan (as DI Gaskill) made a convincing police presence with the right level of gravitas and personality.
Sound was a key feature of the overall spectacle with superb use of the discordant screech – the final climactic scene was especially enhanced in this respect (alongside the lighting); it was visceral, leaving one breathless. That, coupled with ingenious use of minimal props, gave an apt, claustrophobic density – the entire production really focusing our attention on the drama and characters (the key elements).
One other thing which really caught the eye was the amazing use of the background area (as befitting a play about memory). There were multiple screens and a small stage behind the front screen through which actors appeared or emerged to play out pivotal scenes. These screens also used innovative lighting to convey train velocity, a disco and other more subtle things. The backdrop effect which conveyed confusion or spiraling into madness was a work of genius and worth seeing the show for all on its own!
I was highly impressed with everything about tonight’s production and have no hesitation in wholeheartedly recommending this marvelous work.