Sunshine on Leith
Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Reviewed by Mark Brown
FIRST, a confession. When I first reviewed Stephen Greenhorn’s Proclaimers musical Sunshine on Leith (at its world premiere at the Dundee Rep theatre back in 2007) I wasn’t particularly impressed.
I thought that the stories of Ally and Davy (recently returned to Edinburgh after leaving the Army), their girlfriends (Davy’s sister Liz and her pal Yvonne, both nurses) and Davy’s parents (Jean and Rab) were (like The Proclaimers’ songs themselves) too sentimental. I also found Greenhorn’s play to be somewhat predictable and not a patch on his finest stage work Passing Places.
Which isn’t to say that I didn’t think it would be a success. It was obvious from that Tayside debut that audience members who liked the Reid brothers’ songs and/or soap operas (such as Greenhorn’s televisual baby River City) were going to love this stage musical.
READ MORE: Scots composer gives Love Actually film score some fresh love
So it has proved to be. Awards, a film version and numerous stage productions have followed, including this Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT) revival.
First staged at the “theatre in the hills” in the summer of last year, director Elizabeth Newman’s largely re-cast production returns for an unlikely (but, as Wednesday afternoon’s enraptured audience suggests, very welcome) winter run. In fairness, one can see the appeal both of Greenhorn’s script and Newman’s rendering of it.
The plotlines (which include strained romances, life crises and no little amount of heartbreak) overflows with incident and emotion. The band, which includes a number of excellent actor-musicians and singer-musicians, is nicely integrated into the action (with a slide-guitar providing an interesting addition to the instrumentation).
It may be written to a soap opera-style formula, but this musical is immaculately constructed around such famous Proclaimers toe-tappers as I’m On My Way and 500 Miles. Greenhorn’s locations (from a family kitchen, to pubs and a hospital ward) offer a full sweep of soap settings.
In fact, one bar scene is bedecked in the green and white of Craig and Charlie Reid’s favourites, Hibernian Football Club (although, one suspect that Hibs fans aren’t exactly PFT’s core demographic).
Newman has assembled a universally strong cast, with the excellent Alyson Orr (Jean) and Keith McPherson (Rab) reprising their roles in the original 2022 production. The rest of the impressive cast are new to the show, with the gloriously voiced Sinead Kennedy an absolute standout (already an experienced musical theatre performer, she is, surely, destined to see her name in lights).
READ MORE: Scottish athlete Eilish McColgan to tell her story in BBC documentary
As it was last year, Orr’s rendering of the titular hit song (and Hibs anthem) Sunshine on Leith is a beautifully delivered showstopper that would bring a tear to the eye of even the most resolute Hearts supporter.
The set (an unlovely band podium with a miniature model Edinburgh perched irritatingly above it) continues to disappoint, and the decision to remove the guns (and much of the drama) from the opening war scene is a mistake.
These shortcomings aside, however, this revival is a well paced, nicely performed return of an undoubted crowd pleaser.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here