Sunshine on Leith

KAOS had the foresight to apply for and obtain a licence to perform this show before it ceases to be available to amateurs for performances occurring after 31st December, 2016.   It has proved popular with Societies throughout Scotland and beyond and so it may come back into the amateur repertoire.   Based on the music of the inspired Leith musicians Craig and Charlie Reid (The Proclaimers), the score was composed for the theatre by Hilary Brooks whose very kind best wishes to the Society for the rehearsals and the staging of the show were incorporated in KAOS’s show programme.   The story of two soldiers returning from the war in Afganistan and adapting back into civilian life with their family and friends is woven cleverly among the musical numbers by the well known librettist Stephen Greenhorn and with the music and the dialogue which is sometimes very witty and at others, quite emotional, the theme of the show sets challenges for the Producer, the Musical Director and the others in the production team, all of whom rose to the occasion at KAOS’s presentation.

The difficult situation of soldiers returning to civilian life and the problems for the families they seek to rejoin might not seem to be ingredients for an entertaining show but it portrays life and the story is written into or around a compilation of the Proclaimers music and the result holds together extremely well, the challenge for the principals being the range of the highs and lows with which they have to deal, helped by dialogue with some truly comic lines but on other occasions, drawing on emotion and sympathy from the audience.

Ian Philp and Connor Kirkpatrick took the leading roles of Davy and Ally, the returning squaddies and much hung on their excellent interpretations of the humour of those tough characters trying to settle back into civilian life.   Ally meets up again with his girl-friend the nurse Liz (Rachel Howat) and Davy takes a shine to her English friend Yvonne (Cassidy Murray), both couples well matched and cast.    Colin McDonald cast as Davy’s father Robert (“Rab”) Henshaw and Colette Dunsmore as Davy’s mother gave fine performances as those rough diamonds doing their best for the family in their modest home and circumstances.  The show had much drama in the opening war sequences and later, with Rab’s heart attack and hospitalisation and his subsequent recovery.   There is a fair amount of dialogue in the show (almost a musical play) but central are the Proclaimers’ songs, including the famous 500 miles (I’m Gonna Be) and others such as the title number Sunshine on Leith, Sky Takes the Soul and Misty Blue.

The show had a fine cast of other named principals, Senior and Junior choruses and most fittingly, pipers from the Isle of Cumbrae Pipe Band.    The numerous scene changes were handled seamlessly, a great credit to the stage crew which had the benefit of a brand new set commissioned by the Society.  The show was in summary, a resounding success for the Society maintaining the high standard set in previous years and showing that is willing to undertake the challenges of new shows as they appear.    This show fits into the jukebox genre and the Musical Director and Producer and indeed KAOS themselves, must be pleased to have tucked this one into the repertoire.  I am sure it will be repeated in the future as I understand that it was a sell-out!

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