Starlight Express

Starlight Express is coming to the Birmingham Hippodrome from Wednesday 11 August to Saturday 11 September 2027, playing on the Main Stage. It's Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical about a child's train set come to life, with engines and coaches racing to be the fastest in the world. The story follows Rusty, a beaten-up steam train inspired by the legend of the Starlight Express.

It's a show with a long history behind it. It first opened on Broadway in 1987, where it played 761 performances at the Gershwin Theatre and earned seven Tony nominations, with a win for John Napier's costumes. From there it moved to London, where it ran for over 7,000 performances and became the West End's tenth longest-running show. And it's been running continuously in Bochum, Germany, since 1988, drawing more than 20 million visitors over the years. More than 30 million people have seen it worldwide.

This particular production is the 2025 Olivier Award-winning revival, directed by Luke Sheppard. He's added epic projections and brand-new songs to a score that still features the ones you'll recognise, like 'AC/DC', 'Make Up My Heart' and 'Light at the End of the Tunnel'. It's billed as a musical for all ages, so it works as much for a family outing as it does for anyone who just wants a night at the theatre.

It runs for a month, from 11 August to 11 September 2027, at the Birmingham Hippodrome Main Stage, with tickets from £27.