The Girl on the Train, adapted from Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel, is a psychological thriller known for its gripping twists and emotionally complex characters. Unfortunately, this stage adaptation doesn’t quite capture the intensity or suspense that made the book so compelling.

While the story has all the ingredients of a tense thriller, this particular production struggled to maintain momentum. The pacing felt uneven, and key plot moments lost impact due to a lack of emotional variation in the performances. The acting, while consistent, often came across as monotone, making it difficult to connect with the characters or feel truly immersed in the unfolding mystery.

Despite a well known lead in Louisa Lytton, who plays Rachel Watson, the performance felt flat and emotionally distant. Its clear Louisa is a capable actress, but here, the connection just didn’t come through and unfortunately the same could be said for the rest of the cast. None of the characters truly grabbed me, and I found myself feeling disengaged and at times bored.

Staging also left something to be desired. The final scene, which is meant to be the show's dramatic climax, was especially underwhelming. The murder of Tom, which should have been a shocking turning point, was awkwardly executed, and the accompanying sound effects arrived late and felt unnecessarily loud, disrupting rather than enhancing the moment.

For those familiar with the book, the adaptation may feel a little underwhelming and a missed opportunity. Where the book pulls you in from the first page, this production took longer to find its stride—and never did quite deliver the thrilling edge it promised.

It’s always exciting to see modern literature brought to life on stage, and the effort to reinterpret such a popular title for live audiences is commendable and an ambitious endeavour. I do feel with some adjustments to tone, pacing, and emotional depth, there’s potential for future stagings to more effectively tap into the gripping energy of the source material and better reflect the psychological depth and tension that makes the book so memorable.

For me personally, not only was the character Tom brutally murdered, but so was the book itself.