Starlight Characters as Tube Lines
Posted on 21 November 2024
Just call us Francis Bourgeois, because we’re obsessed with trains. Though we prefer the singing ones to those on South Western. Our top tip for any budding spotters out there? Head to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Not only is it a regular service unencumbered by delays and signal failures, you’re guaranteed a (emotional) journey of a lifetime.
In an attempt to make everyday life as stagey as possible, we’ve reimagined the beloved trains and carriages from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical as underground lines. Well, you've got to have a hobby, right?
Greaseball (Northern Line)
Tricksy and domineering, Greaseball is the Northern Line. Contrary to its name, the Northern Line doesn’t serve the most northern stations on the network. In fact, 31 of its stops are south of the River Thames, including the most southerly station on the Underground system, Modern. Basically, you can’t trust it, much like the arrogant antagonist.
Serving 206,734,000 passengers per year, the Northern Line is the busiest in the capital, and Greaseball is just as popular. Despite Greaseball's many flaws, they still have a legion of loyal subjects who will follow them wherever they go (and whatever track they’re on).
Just as the Northern Line stretches across many key parts of London, Greaseball's influence and confidence extends across the entire racetrack. Greaseball’s aggressive nature often leads to conflicts and crashes, while the Northern Line is regularly responsible for causing disruptions, delays and dizzy tourists (who realise they’re heading in the opposite direction to where they thought they were going…)
Electra (DLR)
Is there anything more futuristic than a driverless train? No. Is there anyone more futuristic than Electra in Starlight Express? No.
Both represent cutting edge technology and modernity. Electra, the sleek and futuristic electric engine, embodies speed, efficiency, and a forward-looking attitude. The DLR also looks ahead (as can the passengers on it, who are able to see through the front window, thanks to the train's automated, driverless nature). It’s always forward-thinking, with planning for the branch to Bank well underway before the other branches even opened way back in 1987.
Just as Electra is a bit of an outsider compared to the more traditional engines, the DLR operates in areas not covered by the main Underground lines, carving its own unique path through the city. It not only serves above ground, speeding over the Thames (twice), but it also delves to the deepest platforms on the network, Bank.
They’re also fashion conscious. Electra is one of the most striking engines on the circuit, and Langdon Park DLR has been decorated by three works of art by artist Kate Davis.
Rusty (Bakerloo Line)
Reliable, traditional, and with a rich sense of history, Rusty is the Bakerloo Line. Rusty, the steam engine, is the heart of the story, embodying an old-fashioned yet enduring spirit in a world rapidly moving towards high-tech speed. Similarly, the Bakerloo Line, which first opened in 1906 and has the oldest trains on the London Underground, serves as a steadfast link through key areas of the city, holding its own against the newer, faster lines. Although both are still appreciated and popular, (Bakerloo serves more than 111 million passengers each year), neither receive the maintenance they need. Rusty is mocked for being ‘obsolete’ and the Bakerloo line (unlike the musical) hasn’t been given an extension since the 1930s.
One of the youngest engines in the race, Rusty is often seen as a baby by Greaseball and the more mean-spirited engines. The first baby to be born on the London Underground was on the Bakerloo line at Elephant and Castle in 1924. Coincidence? Yes, but it’s an interesting fact.
Both Rusty and the Bakerloo Line may not be the flashiest or the fastest, but they are reliable, embodying a quiet strength that proves its worth over time. Just as Rusty’s persistence and belief in himself ultimately lead him to victory, the Bakerloo Line’s consistent service and historical significance make it a cherished part of London’s transport network, beloved for its reliability and connection to the past.
Pearl (Piccadilly Line)
Exuding elegance, romance, and a sense of connection, Pearl is the Piccadilly Line. The beautiful observation car is driven by love as she searches for connections and her true partner. The Piccadilly Line has many connections, everyone wants a piece of it - in 1923, a 30,000-signature petition was delivered to the Ministry of Transport to extend the line. It also serves the shortest distance between stations (Leicester Square and Covent Garden, which are just 300 metres apart) - like Pearl the Piccadilly line will travel near and far to fulfil its purpose.
Both Pearl and the Piccadilly Line are image conscious. Pearl, the newest 1st class car is shiny, beautiful and the object of affection for many, including Rusty. The Piccadilly line is also fashion forward. 'Piccadilly' originates from a seventeenth-century frilled collar named a piccadil. Roger Baker, a tailor who became rich making piccadil's lived in the area.
Both are central to their respective worlds - Pearl is the emotional core of Starlight Express, and the Piccadilly Line as a vital artery of London’s transport system, offering opportunities to visit all the tourist hotspots.
Dinah (Circle Line)
Sweet and dependable, Dinah is the Circle Line. Dinah is always there to support others, offering continuity and connection, much like the Circle Line, which loops around central London, linking with almost every other line. It also features one of the only stops in Zone 1 which doesn’t have a ticket barrier, which has probably helped a few people out in the past!
Dinah is very loving, caring and kind, which can also be said for the Barbican, one of the stops on the line. The Barbican has a small plaque honouring Pebbles, the beloved station cat who lived on the platform until 1997.
The Circle Line’s role in tying together various parts of the city reflects Dinah's role in bringing characters together, often acting as the glue that holds relationships and the community of trains in the story. Both are reliable and steady, with Dinah’s caring nature mirrored by the Circle Line’s consistent and reassuring presence, always looping back to where it began, just as Dinah consistently supports those around her, creating a sense of stability and warmth in her world.
Momma (Metropolitan Line)
Stable and reliable, Momma is the Metropolitan Line. As the loving figure in Starlight Express, Momma provides guidance, support, and a sense of stability to the younger trains. Much like the Metropolitan Line, the world's first underground railway system, which has been a crucial backbone of the city's transport system for well over a century!
Momma takes care of all of the trains around her, no matter who they are or where they have come from. Much like the Metropolitan Line, which takes care of passengers from three separate counties (London, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire), and serves those in Chesham, which is located 25 miles out of the city.
Just as Momma’s experience and nurturing nature are essential to the emotional balance of the characters around her, the Metropolitan Line's long history and reliable service make it a trusted and enduring part of London's infrastructure. Both Momma and the Metropolitan Line serve as anchors in their worlds, offering a sense of continuity and deep-rooted strength that others rely on.
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