THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (PLAY)

By Paula Hawkins & Dreamwork Film

Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff & Duncan Abel

Directed by Chris Baldock

Mockingbird Theatre Company

Belconnen Arts Theatre to 22 August

 

Reviewed by Len Power 5 August 2026

 

A psychological thriller on stage needs to keep you guessing right up to the end. It should be fun sorting through the information being offered to decide who is telling the truth and who isn’t so that you can, hopefully, guess who the murderer is.

This thriller adds disturbing elements of grief, motherhood, addiction and violence against women, leaving us with an uncomfortable feeling that not every situation is black and white. We find ourselves making quick judgements based on our reactions to the people before us and, when we do learn the whole story, we’re left with that uncomfortable feeling that we’re not good judges of character after all.

A commuter train, stopping at a signal every morning, gives a girl on the train the opportunity to observe a woman in her nearby home. When that woman mysteriously disappears, the girl on the train finds herself linked to a murder and, as a suspect herself, she struggles to either solve the mystery or deflect suspicion from herself.

Morgan HeathWilliams (Rachel - The girl on the train)

 

The cast of seven all give fine performances. As Rachel, the girl on the train at the centre of the action, Morgan HeathWilliams is outstanding with her intense, charismatic character study of an emotionally disturbed woman struggling to get through her life the best way she can. Her performance is believable throughout the play.

Susie Todd (Megan) and Timothy Cusack (Scott)

Robert Wearden, Timothy Cusack, Susie Todd, Ankjush Singh Khanchi, Paul Sweeney and Sabrina Fu all get their moments to shine with nicely judged performances. Susie Todd as the murdered woman, Megan Hipwell, is particularly fine in a deeply emotional flashback scene with her therapist and Paul Sweeney as the investigating policeman, D.I. Gaskill, gives an especially strong performance that is multi-layered when it could have been a cliché.

Director, Chris Baldock, has ensured that his cast achieve the right levels of emotion throughout the play and his unique, immersive set design, works brilliantly.

 

Photos by Chris Baldock

 

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 6 August 2026.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.