The Last Train to Madeline is a wistful, reflective story about love and friendship through the ages. It tells the story of Madeline and Luke from the age of innocence to teenagers finding themselves, and finally to adults with regret and longing.

Directed by Hayden Tonazzi, the play moves through different permutations of Madeline and Luke – from age ten, seventeen and finally twenty-three.

Starring: Pia Monti (little Madeline), Trix Bowditch (little Luke), Rylea Eilis (teenage Madeline), Finn Middleton (teenage Luke), Tyallah Bullock (young adult Madeline) and Leon Walshe (young adult Luke).

By showing the characters throughout their ages, the audience can connect to the story and find themselves in Madeline and Luke, reminiscing about childhood, teenage romance, and poignant memories.

Tonazzi reflects: “For me, this play is about seasons, and I hope audiences can reflect on the seasons in their lives. The people who made a mark and how that altered who we are and how we love.”

Madeline at every age, is a big personality: bossy, harsh and angry. Their relationship isn’t equal. She is the opposite of sweet Luke. Even as a child, she teases and torments him. As a young adult, their relationship becomes more complicated, especially as Luke’s infatuation grows. Yet Madeline insults him, mimics him, and then tells him she misses him—all in the one sentence.

The children, both Monti and Bowditch, are the standout performers, their joy and playfulness shining through. Their scenes bring lightness and comedy to offset the deep drama of their later counterparts.

Teenage Madeline (Eilis) looks nothing like the other two versions; however, she is a strong character in her own right and makes the role her own. Madeline is scared of expressing her vulnerability, but Eilis, in holding this back, still reveals it.

Tonazzi shares: “We were never looking to make them identical, or even similar in appearance, but rather to capture the essence of their relationship over the ages. Young people today have identities that change drastically every few years. In this case, Maddy and Luke developed every 7 years, falling in and out of their love.”

The shifting dynamic continues into the teenage years, with Middleton playing Luke as earnest and open, allowing his awkwardness and attachment to Madeline to emphasis the imbalance in their relationship. This is highlighted further in contrast with Bullock, who plays Madeline with an intensity that burns through her outbursts and anger.

Written by Australian playwright Callum Mackay, the contemporary story blends memory, possibility, and emotion. Mackay’s script is poetic at times, and this allows Walshe to shine in his “I wish” confession. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt scene, where Luke spills his love for Madeline in a way that leaves no question about his feelings for her. It’s also a moment that cements audience empathy for Luke.

Spencer Herd’s lighting throughout accentuates the poignancy, with a purple haze. Savanna Wegman’s set design is superb creating a realistic train tunnel with mist, foliage, wild weeds, flowers, flickering televisions, and tracks on the floor symbolising the railway lines they play near as children. There is a big arch (the railway overpass) that the cast utilise to great effect, running around it, up and down, and even performing key scenes sitting on top of it. The production makes use of most of the stage space, but should keep in mind audience viewing, as one scene takes place to the side, out of full audience view.

Composition and sound design by Oliver Beard help place the narrative within Australia and through the generations, with the sound of train tracks and later the ocean helping to create an evocative mood. The live musical performance of Eilis (as seventeen-year-old Madeline) singing and playing the guitar was a thoughtful addition and the choice of song perfectly captures her feelings (at the time) for Luke.

How you feel about this show, the characters and especially the ending, is subjective. It’s a divisive play. Is love viewed through rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia? Are they better as lovers or just friends? It captures the ache of a first love that never really goes away. The Last Train to Madeline takes that feeling and puts it on stage—it shows us love and reminds us of those people who were in our lives, if only for a season.

4 stars

Run Time: 80 minutes (no interval)

Presented by Fever103 Theatre The Last Train to Madeline is playing at The Popsy in Dawes Point, Sydney until 28 March 2026.

For tickets visit Australian Theatre for Young People