Sunshine on Leith

This very popular show is “doing the rounds” on the amateur show scene at the moment and this production is the first one of four that I will be viewing over the next few weeks! Everyone knows this show (except me!) who knew nothing about it except Proclaimers and 500 miles (!) so it was a pleasure, at last, to catch up with this show and add it to my musical encyclopedia knowledge! The society pulled out all the stops for this production and played to excellent houses throughout the stage run – which was heartening news indeed. The show, played against a backdrop of photographs of well known locales to represent the various scenes (all 29 of them!), makes me say the poor stage staff must be congratulated on a sterling job well done as they brilliantly, and speedily, “choreographed” the stage furniture and props for the many scenes with quickness and ease. The cast excelled in their roles and David Lozowy (Davy) and Ross Martin (Ally) both proved to be two strong leads as the returning soldiers from Afghanistan to their home of Leith. Once home, Ally returns to his nurse girlfriend, Liz, (Sarah Cowmeadow), whilst Davy takes up with Liz’s other nurse companion Yvonne (Tamsin Holbrook). This quartet, all experienced players, was able to handle the light hearted comic dialogue and, at times, dramatic dialogue, with skilful ease and it was a pleasure to watch them. But, the show’s main dramatic scenes were reserved for Davy’s cleaner Mum (Jane Taylor) and unemployed Dad (Ian Cowmeadow). These two were superb as the bickering, but loving, couple who find their special wedding anniversary ruined by a secret from the past . . . brought back in a tender flashback by Rachel Bernard (Margaret) and Mark Murphy (Young Rab). Some of the great moments were the funny drrrrr-ring drrrrr-ring scene at Abacus Insurance and the frenetic scene in the pub on football match day, plus the tug at the heartstrings proposal scene between Ally and Liz! Finally, it was “500 mile” time with the cast fervently belting out the song played against a large St Andrews Cross backdrop and . . . for the life of me; I can’t get this tune out of my head now! 

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