I attended the Press Night and was thoroughly captivated by what is an evocative and stylish piece of theatre. I was already familiar with the thriller (as I am sure many will be), from having read the best-selling book and seen the subsequent film, however this clever adaptation still kept me hooked right through to the end ‘reveal’.
Laura Whitmore gives a starring turn as protagonist Rachel in this production of The Girls on the Train, with a wonderfully nuanced and emotionally charged performance that feels layered, authentic and vulnerable. This is maybe unexpected from Whitmore, with the ex-Love Island presenter being known to many mainly for her TV work. However in 2022 she made her West End debut as Jenny in 2.22: A Ghost Story and returned home to play Lauren in its limited Dublin run in 2024.
In her portrayal of Rachel in The Girl On The Train, Whitmore captures Rachel’s unravelling with unnerving realism. While her drunken spirals occasionally verge on repetition, the rawness of her performance and the clarity that cuts through the haze keep the character grounded and compelling.
On joining the tour, Laura says: “I read the book when it first came out and I was obsessed by it. I love it when you find a book and all you can think about is that story. You wake up a little bit earlier to read the book and stay up too late to finish it. I am excited to show people my portrayal of Rachel”.
Freya Parks – who plays Megan Hipwell – is captivating, and completing company cast members, Daniel Burke as Kamal Abdic, Zena Carswell as Anna, Samuel Collings as Scott Hipwell, Paul McEwan as DI Gaskill, Edward Harrison as Tom Watson, prove to be a finely tuned ensemble, with each contributing a distinct psychological dimension to the performance.
The staging is particularly well done; deftly marrying minimalist elegance with inventive visual storytelling to create a world that is unnerving, transitory and integral to this psychological thriller.
The Girl on the Train takes its time building tension, but surprisingly, the two hours zip by – and you don’t need to have read the book or seen the movie to get wrapped up in it.
The Girl on the Train is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tue 1 – Sat 5 July 2025.
Book tickets online at leedsheritagetheatres.com or call the Box Office on 0113 243 0808.
Review and images by Victoria Reddington @vic_reddington
Some images supplied
