Sunshine on Leith

‘There is only one question …. Do you want to make this work?’ … and they did. For more than a year over 100 people involved in LOS Musical Theatre came together under Andy Freeman’s skilful direction to answer character Rab Henshaw’s question with a definitive ‘yes’.  The cast and crew of Stephen Greenhorn’s delightful musical ‘Sunshine on Leith’ worked incredibly hard to produce a joyous show which left the audience clapping, singing and laughing out loud.  

Mark Greenwood as technical co ordinator, production assistant and sound engineer created a high quality technical environment which subtlety complemented Paul Jarvis’s thoughtful lighting. Sound and lighting effects were precisely coordinated to suggest atmosphere and mood. For example, the helicopter flying over head with a spotlight roaming over the audience created focus and tension from the outset.  

The set was simple but included detail such as ‘Scotland’s Purple Thistle’ being painted on the stage columns and an intricate skyline of the city’s buildings. This minimalist setting was particularly evocative, when combined with gentle lighting in the scene where Davy and Yvonne had climbed up the hill to look over the city.  The real power of the simple set, however, was that it facilitated slick and seamless changes of scene. By the simple addition of an (authentically Scottish looking) George Street bus top, a drinks bar or a rail of glamorous dresses, the audience were quickly moved between a street, a pub or an upmarket dress shop. These quick and clever changes were achieved in seconds which contributed to the fast pace of the show and the total engagement of the audience.  

The costumes worked in tandem with the set and props to accentuate the location, the period and the characters. The army costumes in the opening scene including the footwear, were meticulously accurate, the guns were scarily convincing, and the hospital bed looked as if it had been taken from real hospital. The, sometimes fast, changes of costumes from work uniforms and casual wear into glamorous party clothes was a visual delight. It was also noticeable that the cast looked completely comfortable in their costumes even when dancing. 

If the set was simple, the music, under Robert Cousins’ direction, was decadent. To have live music being played in full view by the clearly talented ‘RC and the Sunshine Band’ was an unexpected delight. Their music was well integrated with the changing mood and direction of the play. Without exception it complemented the voices of the actors and enhanced rather than competed with their singing.  

Assuming that not everyone in the cast was a trained dancer, Star Bray’s vision as choreographer and skill in teaching the cast to deliver her vision was extremely impressive. The eye catching and sometimes technically complex routines were executed to a high standard and at times brought great amusement. In particular the dance with the dishrags and use of cleaning fluid bottles as microphones in the song ‘Should have been Loved’ was incredibly funny. 

Andy Freeman’s direction was outstanding in his beautiful combining of so many components of the production process. The ensemble scenes were particularly well staged. It was like looking at a set of beautifully curated photos which captured not only the lives of the main characters but also the wider world which they inhabited. Without exception the ensemble danced proficiently, sang beautifully and acted convincingly.  Special mention must go to Jacqueline Hartley who portrayed her numerous roles from policewoman to party goer with unwavering conviction and to Eleanor Simmonds whose dancing was truly beautiful. Her movements were fluid, graceful and executed with technical skill and incredible poise. Credit should also be given to Amy Reynolds who portrayed Rab’s secret daughter Eilidh with such delicacy and kindness that she created an authentic and likeable character whose impact on the performance resonated long after she had left the stage. 

The generous performances from the ensemble work enabled the lead artists to shine. Chris Hodges as Ally and Sam Hile as Davy gave strong and compassionate performances showcasing a believable friendship and the struggles of returning to civilian life. They completely inhabited their characters using some lovely subtle touches to amplify their characters’ moods. A very moving example of this was when Ally was packing his rucksack to return to the army after Liz declined his public proposal of marriage. His packing was painstakingly slow and meticulous which seemed to reflect his inner pain and confusion. The young men’s partners, Emma Symes as Liz and Olivia Surgey as Yvonne not only confidently portrayed the love interests (the developing relationship between Davy and Yvonne was particularly well portrayed) but they also clearly depicted the life challenges these two young women were facing. Helen Crees as Jean and Duncan Taylor-Jones as Rab skilfully added further depth to the story by showing how longer relationships between older couples also face (and learned to live with) seismic problems. The six leads all had wonderful singing voices which complemented each other beautifully. There were some gorgeous harmonies such as Yvonne and Davy singing ‘Misty Blue’, Rab, Davy and Ally singing ‘Life with You’ and the amusing ‘What do you do’ perfectly delivered by Liz and three other artists.  Other musical highlights included Helen Crees’s moving interpretation of ‘Sunshine on Leith’ and Rab’s rendition of ‘Oh Jean’ which he delivered with a salacious twinkle in his eye. Lucy Newth as Hazel gave a superb rendition of ‘Simple Things’ which was haunting and heartfelt but it was the ensemble performing ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’ that captured the joyous mood of the evening.  With its energetic delivery, delightful choreography and utter commitment from the talented cast it had the audience singing, clapping and tapping their feet.  

In conclusion this was a high quality, attractive and joyous production which didn’t just ‘work’, it excelled. The audience clearly loved every minute of it, and many were still humming the songs as they left. Many congratulations to Andy Freeman and to all involved in this delightful, enjoyable and life affirming production. 

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