VIDEO: Watch Highlights of STARLIGHT EXPRESS in English

Standing Ovations, minutes of applause - the first (and for now only) performance of STARLIGHT EXPRESS Bochum in English on Tuesday night was a huge success. A red double-deck bus in front of the theatre, where they sold English wine gum, sandwiches, tea and beer, completed the British flair.

Check out highlights below!

Almost 29 years after opening night the hit musical tried an experiment and fulfilled the wish of many international fans: in an extraordinary special show the cast performed the Bochum version of Andrew Lloys Webbers STARLIGHT EXPRESS entirely in English. That meant additional rehearsals for the cast on top of their usual busy show schedule. "During the day we rehearsed for the English show - in the evening I had to sing German on stage. That was hard", said 1st Cast Rusty Jeffrey Socia.

But the storm of enthusiasm from the audience from the overture until the very end showed that all the hard work paid off.

This special English show started off a year of events at the Halle. On 30th April you can "race into May", in July there'll be a show entirely for the kids and finally a sing-along show on 24th October.

In the evening, the mother tells her small child to put away his toy trains and go to sleep. In the child's dream, the locomotives and carriages come to life. Trains from distant places roll into the station: It is the night of the locomotives' world championship race.
The young steam engine Rusty, who is likable but no longer very technically up-to-date, seems to have no chance against his more modern challengers. Rusty battles desperately against the macho Greaseball. The rockin' diesel engine wins the heart of the female carriages by the dozen. And when Electra, the hypermodern electric engine, turns up and Pearl, who Rusty is in love with, captivates the first-class carriage, it starts to look as if the young steam engine will lose the battle.

Three, two, one - go! The flags drop, lights flash and helmets glitter. At lightning speed, the locomotives dash around the track with their carriages. The conflict between the trains keeps on intensifying - they don't always play fair in this international match. Suddenly he appears like a radiant comet in the sky: the legendary "Starlight Express". The night is filled with glittering stars as Rusty discovers what really counts in life: believing in yourself. He goes into the final round with new courage. And Pearl begins to realise who she really loves...