Starlight Express revival venue comes with blockbuster facilities, the kind of place where magic is made both on and off stage
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If the overall experience of visiting Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre is only half as good as what the booming company has created at Wembley Park, we’re in for a treat.
With the first preview performances of The Hunger Games: On Stage set to kick off at the newly minted Wood Wharf venue on October 20, 2025, an invitation to check out its north-west London progenitor was not to be missed.
Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, a former complex of TV studios transformed into a 1,000-seat venue, is currently home to the latest London revival of Starlight Express.
Andrew Lloyd Webber knows a thing or two about writing catchy tunes and his imaginary world of racing toy trains, made real by a breathtaking blizzard of performers on roller skates, is as thrilling in 2025 as it was in the 1980s.
Updated to include the arrival of hydrogen power it remains a somewhat silly story, bound together with banging melodies, extraordinary athleticism and just enough emotion to melt even the most cynical heart.
a showcase of talent
This isn’t really a show review, but special mention goes out to the talents of Jeevan Braich as steam train Rusty, Olivia Ringrose as Greaseball and Jaydon Vijn as Hydra – all three up the front of a very long train of talent, expertly marshalled by Shayan Ghai’s bright-eyed Control.
What Troubarour has done in Wembley is, rather cleverly, create what feels like a sumptuous velvet box for this gem to sit in.
Replete with dozens of glitter balls, a visit feels special, an event before even getting into the auditorium.
Our trip begins in the venue’s Studio Five restaurant which serves three courses for £38 pre or post show.
It’s a funky space decked out in blue velvet that serves the theatre but has the feel of a standalone brasserie. The food is excellent.
At pretty much every turn, Wembley delights.
There’s glam, spectacle and plenty of toilets (not something every theatre in the capital can offer).
Whether you’re sipping Champagne in its VIP lounge or soaking up the starlight downstairs, there’s a real buzz about the place.
what this means for Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre
So what does all this tell us about the level of quality the Canary Wharf theatre might offer?
Well, the magic of Starlight gives Wembley a bit of an unfair head start.
The musical’s power to please a crowd is perhaps best expressed in the fact that the show has been running non-stop in Germany since 1988 and has been seen by 19million people.
The Hunger Games, in contrast, is a new play, albeit one with a solid fan base to bounce off, but much still depends on its quality.
However, if the Canary Wharf venue’s restaurants, facilities and – more importantly – its atmosphere are in any way similar to Wembley, Wood Wharf could well become the sort of place where the magic that keeps people coming back decades later is created.
key details: shows at Troubadour
The Hunger Games: On Stage is set to open at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on October 20, 2025. Ticket prices start at £30.
Starlight Express continues its run at Wembley until April, 2026. Tickets start at £27.50.
Find out more about Troubadour here
Read more: Amazing Grace set to open second location in Canary Wharf
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