Carly could not wait to return to Milton Keynes Theatre last night (10/06) to see the highly-anticipated Girl on the Train and here is her full review...
The experience
We had a lovely evening at Milton Keynes Theatre. We parked easily which was lucky given there had a been a fire a couple of hours earlier in the Theatre District. It was a beautiful evening and sunlight flooded the theatres foyer, I was very happy to be able to grab an iced latte before the show.
Having seen the film I knew the story but I was intrigued to see how it would play out on stage. I was a bit shocked that it opened how it did, giving away what happens right at the beginning. The cast was small, the stage was simple and the three screens on stage were effective to transport you to different locations, also a clever flick of Rachel's coat signalled the end of a scene.
Considering this is a thriller there were a lot of laughs which were welcome. Seeing Laura Whitmore on stage in a completely different way was really interesting and made me wonder how other actors have portrayed the role. I know Giovanna Fletcher has played the role of Rachel Watson and I would love to see how she played Rachel.
If you've read the book , seen the film and like me are intrigued to see it on stage get yourself to Milton Keynes Theatre before the 14th June!
The story
Paula Hawkins’ psychological thriller rolls into Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 10 – Sat 14 Jun, starring Laura Whitmore in the lead role of Rachel Watson.
Simon Friend Entertainment and Josh Andrews Productions a bringing a new UK Tour of the smash-hit Wiltshire Creative Production of The Girl on the Train to Milton Keynes Theatre this June.
This gripping thriller, based on the internationally acclaimed number one best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins, will star Irish presenter, writer, broadcaster and former Love Island host Laura Whitmore as Rachel Watson.
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 this summer.”
Laura Whitmore trained at the Leinster School of Music and Drama, studied Shakespeare at RADA and holds a degree in Journalism from Dublin City University. She wrote and starred in the short film Sadhbh, for which she won the Ros Hubbard Award for acting in 2019. She toured in the role of Cleo in Peter James’ Not Dead Enough in 2017. Her film/TV acting credits include Queenie, Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral, 4.3.2.1 and Storage 24. Her first lead in a feature film, ‘A Mother For An Hour’, is out later this year, as well as interactive sci-fi thriller ‘Hello Stranger’ starring Sir Derek Jacobi. 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.
She is a successful radio and television broadcaster best known for hosting MTV and the Bafta-winning ‘Love Island’, the ‘I’m A Celebrity’ spin-off show, Celeb Juice and her own breakfast show on ITV. She launched her documentary, Laura Whitmore Investigates, in 2023 and is currently working on a new documentary series. This year, she also embarked on Comic Relief’s ‘Snow Way Back’ Arctic Trek to raise vital funds for Red Nose Day, which can be seen in a primetime BBC1 documentary.
She currently hosts the BBC Podcast, Murder They Wrote, alongside Iain Stirling. She started her TV career in 2008, winning MTV’s Pick Me MTV and becoming the face of MTV Europe for almost a decade. She has interviewed some of the biggest musical artists and actors in the world.
In March 2021, she released her first book, ‘No One Can Change Your Life Except For You’, which has gone on to become a Sunday Times Bestseller.
Rachel Watson longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.
Produced by Simon Friend Entertainment and Josh Andrews Productions, the Wiltshire Creative Production of The Girl on the Train is written by Paula Hawkins, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, and is directed by Loveday Ingram. The international phenomenon, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and inspired the Dreamworks film starring Emily Blunt, enjoyed a box-office record-breaking theatrical tour in 2019.
Book your tickets now
Book your tickets now at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.
LISTINGS
The Girl On The Train Performances: Tue 10 Jun - Sat 14 Jun 2025 (evenings @ 7:30pm, matinees @ 2:30pm)
Access bookings: 0333 009 5399
Group bookings: 0207 206 1174
Online Booking: ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes*
*Fees may apply. Calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge
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