Sitting on a train and watching the world go round is a great chill out.
But for Rachel Watson it started the unravelling of a murder investigation which really messed with her head.
The Girl On The Train is a gripping psychological drama and just the ticket to get the brain going. Watson played with aplomb by “I am a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” winner Giovanna Fletcher is slick and spooky as she struggles to unravel the mystery she spotted while glancing out of the window on her daily commute.
Watson is childless and lonely, having lost her husband Tom (Jason Merrells) to younger, new wife Anna (Zena Carswell) and has hit the bottle to find solace.
The drinking led to Rachel being sacked, but to fill the hours, she still catches the train daily and watches the world go by.
One of her regular spots is a couple in the back garden of their home and Rachel makes up names and personalities for them.
But in a twist of fate, she finds the woman, Megan Hipwell (Natalie Dunne) has gone missing, and the police think Rachel is connected with the disappearance because it happened just down the street where she used to live with Tom and where she spends a lot of time stalking her former husband and new wife.
DI Gaskill (Paul McEwan), a recovering alcoholic, is called to investigate the disappearance and tries to help Rachel conquer her demons as he unravels the case.
The play follows the original book written by Rachel Wagstaff, made into a film in 2016, with a simple modern set by designer Adam Wiltshire and lighting expert Jack Knowles, adding to the mystery.
There’s lots of twists and turns as the plot unravels, with Megan’s husband Scott (Samuel Collings) complicating matters as he tries to find love with Rachel through his grief. Throw in therapist Kamal Abdic (Daniel Burke) to spice things up and the drama becomes a real seat gripper.
The small cast is made up of ensemble Ellie Gallimore and Oliver Joseph Brooke and with suitable dark background music from sound designer, Elizabeth Purnell, the production is a fabulous watch, so go see it!
The Girl On The Train runs until Saturday, 1st February at the Theatre Royal Glasgow before moving to the New Theatre in Woking from 22nd to 26th April, The Alexandra in Brimingham from 29th April to 3rd May, the Theatre Royal Brighton from 4th to 7th June before finishing in the Milton Keynes Theatre from 10th to 14th June 2025. You can check out ticket availability from www.atgtickets.com.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photographs by Pamela Raith Photography
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