Pearl The Observation Car

Pearl The Observation Car

Pearl is the "new girl" character and female lead in the West End musical Starlight Express. She is a railway observation carriage, although in Germany she is referred to as the "first class car". Rusty is madly in love with her but when he asks her to race with him, she rejects him, explaining her reason that she has "a train I dream about, an engine moved by steam" who is the engine for her. She first races with Electra and then, with Greaseball after he dumps Dinah. During the final race, she is too interested in watching Rusty and isn't paying attention to the race itself. Greaseball uncouples her mid race, causing her to nearly crash. At the last moment, she is saved by Rusty. While the race continues, she slips away to think, and finally realizes that Rusty has been the one for her all along.

Perla is the name that was given to Pearl in the 1997 Mexican production, Expreso Astral, that played at the Teatro Polanco in Mexico City. Many of the characters were given new, more Spanish names in this production. Perla's biggest songs were Me Chiflará (He'll Whistle at Me), No Resiste Mi Corazón (Make Up My Heart, literally translates as: "My Heart Does not resist") and Si Buscas Otro Amor (Next Time You Fall in Love, literally translates as "If You look for Another Love").