The Girl on the Train, UK Tour Review (2025)
Louisa Lytton in The Girl on the Train. Photo by Danny Kaan
Written by Bella for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Girl on the Train, a stage adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling psychological thriller, arrived at Leicester Curve this week as part of its 2025 UK and Ireland Tour. As a self-confessed Emily Blunt fan, who has watched the film adaptation of The Girl on the Train more times than I care to admit, I was intrigued to see how it would translate to the stage.
This stage version was directed by Loveday Ingram, who attempts to deliver a cinematic experience that explores the themes of obsession, memory, and the search for truth. Taking on the complex role of Rachel Watson at Leicester Curve was Louisa Lytton, best known for her role as Ruby Allen in Eastenders. Louisa gives a stand-out performance that captures her character’s descent into obsession and self-doubt as she becomes embroiled in a missing person’s investigation.
Rachel Watson is an unemployed alcoholic who has developed an obsession with her ex-husband and his new family. She spends her days commuting to London pretending to have a job. On her daily commute to the city, she becomes fixated on a couple from their terraced balcony and creates a fantasy about their seemingly perfect lives. When the woman she watches from her train window vanishes, Rachel believes she has a vital clue and can regain some purpose in life by helping to find her.
Louisa was sublime, capturing every emotion Rachel goes through during the story to perfection. She brings depth to Rachel’s problems and conveys both her vulnerability and resilience. In fact, Louisa’s performance was so natural it often felt less like acting and more like watching a woman live out her problems in real life! Louisa’s portrayal of Rachel made the character surprisingly likeable, despite her messy and sometimes violent life.
The role of Tom Watson, Rachel’s manipulative ex-husband, was played by Jason Merrells of Cutting It, Emmerdale and Waterloo Road fame. The supporting cast also included Natalie Dunne as Megan Hipwell, Zena Carswell as Anna and Samuel Collings as Scott, who all delivered strong performances and contributed to the plot’s web of relationships and secrets.
Adam Wiltshire’s set design was minimalistic yet hugely effective. This was complemented by Dan Light’s video design and lighting from Jack Knowles. Large, moving screens towards the back of the stage and changing lighting sets combined to evoke the feeling of a moving train and other effects, like rain on windows. This served to draw the audience into the unfolding mystery.
The climax of the story saw the main characters dramatically positioned around a railway track. The use of light, sound with a heavy beat, and projected imagery really raised the tension, and the sounds of the trains made me feel like train was going to come onto the stage!
Gritty, gripping and packed with tension, this production of The Girl on the Train would be hard to top. With an incredibly talented cast and creative team, it offers a dark and compelling insight into the complexities of memory and perception. This adaptation successfully maintains the suspense of the original novel and creates a dramatic theatrical experience, which combines some powerful performances with creative staging to bring a complex psychological narrative to life.
Whether you’re a fan of the book, the film, or simply love a good psychological thriller, this production guarantees you an exciting and enjoyable night at the theatre.
The Girl on the Train runs at Leicester Curve until Saturday May 24. On a wider UK tour until August 2025.
★★★★★
