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A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
Production photography by Adele Keith – https://adelekeith.pixieset.com/
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It is impossible to live in Scotland and not know the music of The Proclaimers and I’m sure that lots of us love it, so to make a musical out of their songs is an obvious winning idea! This production of Sunshine On Leith is done by The Lyric Musical Society which is all local people, which adds the fun element of going “oh I know them” as they come on the stage. This is a very professional production with a fabulous stage and backdrop taking you straight to the setting of Edinburgh with the castle overseeing all the action.
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The story follows Ally and Davy coming back from the army and trying to work out what their life in Leith entails, back as civilians. Ally (played by Callum Anderson) is dating Davy’s sister. Davy is played by Kenneth Lypka who has wonderful vocals and Liz is played by Laura Burnett. The story centres around Davy and Liz’s family as their parents celebrate 30 years of marriage. Craig Pike is Rab the father and gives a stunning performance as always, and his wife Jean is played by Rhonda Scott who literally brought me to tears with her rendition of Hate My Love For You and then Sunshine On Leith itself. It is easy to see why she is usually found as a music teacher in the city.
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The young men are trying to work out their own relationships and what to do with themselves now they are no longer in in the army. The plot is very cleverly written around the lyrics of the well known Proclaimer songs, and although you know the songs and you know what is happening in the story you still get to some bits where you go “oh that song! That works!” An example is when Liz is going to America and her Mum asks her to bring back a Letter From America. There are some wonderfully emotional moments through the plot and the characters interact with each other really well.
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Although you know the words to many of the songs you are not as inclined to sing along as at a concert because you want to hear the actual performers giving their wonderful performance. Although I am pretty sure my teenager was singing along with 500 Miles! It was my son’s first time seeing Sunshine On Leith. When I looked back at the last time I reviewed the show it was actually when he was just a tiny dot in my belly back in 2009! He has grown up to become quite a Proclaimer’s fan having met them at his first proper concert at the AECC, when we were lucky enough to get invited backstage before the show. Since then he has seen them at Party at the Palace, and more recently at P&J Live when we took one of his friends for his first concert experience, which was another memorable evening. I asked him what he thought of the show and he said “it was alright” which in teenager speak is pretty fantastic really!
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This is absolutely a feel good story, although there are a mixture of emotions en route, that will leave you singing happily. Try not to miss it, the whole production totally deserved the standing ovation they got on the first night of this magical run!
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Further information: https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/sunshine-on-leith/
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Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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