The Girl on the Train is every bit as riveting as a show as it was as a novel, keeping the audience completely captivated from start to finish.
It’s one of the most clever and closest adaptations to a novel I’ve seen, sticking closely to the heart of the tale with no trimming required.
It means it retains every element of the tension and depth that made the Paula Hawkins book an international best seller and bona fide page turner.
Laura Whitmore, best known for her hosting roles on Love Island and Celebrity Juice, is a revelation in the central role of Rachel Watson.
Pretty much ever present on stage, she oozes vulnerability, defiance and disorder.
Her only escape from her difficulties is dreaming about the seemingly perfect couple she watches through the train window every day during her commute.
When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been watching has disappeared in mysterious circumstances, she finds herself involved as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery which is closer to home and filled with far bigger revelations than she ever could have anticipated.
I loved the rain against the window in Rachel’s small rented flat, I loved the tension in the music, I loved the box in which she was trapped, and I loved the clever use of bottle after bottle of booze as props.
This is a clever, emotionally charged play which exceeded all expectations and the audience voted with their feet, immediately launching into a standing ovation at the curtain call.
Make a reservation on the train this week if you possibly can. It’s just the ticket.
The Girl on the Train runs until Saturday. Tickets from mayflower.org.uk
