DIRECTOR’S NOTES 

The Girl on the Train started life as a novel by Paula Hawkins, an Oxford-educated journalist and writer. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2015, remaining there for 13 consecutive weeks. The book was adapted into two movies: first in 2016 by DreamWorks in English, and then again in 2021 by Reliance Entertainment in Hindi.

The play was first performed at West Yorkshire Playhouse on 12 May 2018. Directed by Joe Murphy, the production featured Jill Halfpenny as Rachel Watson. In 2019, the play toured, this time directed by Anthony Banks and featured Samantha Womack as Rachel. 

The novel is told through the eyes of the 3 women in the story, Rachel, Megan and Anna, whereas the play, as you will see, is very much Rachel’s perception of the world around her and the people within it. The play deals with a variety of difficult issues, some of which, some of our audience may have experienced. During the rehearsal process, we have, therefore, focused on exploring these issues and how they relate to the characters that they affect, to try and ensure that the reactions and situations ring true. Due to the episodic nature of the play and the pace at which the story unwinds, there is a temptation to forget the emotional journey that Rachel goes on throughout. We were determined not to do this and to create a story that not only thrills but also makes the audience think about the nature of relationships and the danger that love can put us in.