1,845 posts
|
Post by NeilVHughes on Jan 19, 2019 9:06:47 GMT
Negativity dissipated, phone box is in the cast photo. Now all that is needed is the confirmation of the Old Vic transfer, may even think about doing an ensembleswings as it has been too long since I last went to Scotland and maybe a quick trip to Pennan and some of the other locations to experience the full Local Hero experience.
|
|
5,268 posts
|
Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 19, 2019 10:36:59 GMT
The old vic transfer isn’t until late 2019/early 2020
|
|
805 posts
|
Post by duncan on Jan 19, 2019 20:52:08 GMT
Was going to wait for this to transfer to the Old Vic before I booked but I’ve now decided to make a weekend out of it and travel up to Edinburgh. Looking forward to it, though as someone who’s never even stepped foot in the city let alone this theatre has anyone got any advice over seats?! Any I should be avoiding whilst booking or do majority give you a good view (relative to the price I’m paying)? Anything central on any level will give appropriate viewing. The Lyceum is small enough to ensure that even the Upper Circle doesn't feel that removed from the action. Personally I'd avoid the front row on all three levels and the Stalls C-E middle and Upper Circle C15-17 are my seats of preference. The one problem I do have with the Lyceum is that the front of house is miniscule and if you are in the front stalls these are accessed through the bar, which as this show is selling well will generally be busy and can be a pain in the behind to get through. Its my favourite theatre in Scotland, its the theatre I've been to the 2nd most times anywhere in the world and you can go from the front door to a lovely view of a castle within 30 seconds.
|
|
821 posts
|
Post by ensembleswings on Jan 20, 2019 16:38:15 GMT
duncan Thanks. Booked myself a relatively central stalls row d ticket, more than I'd usually spend but then I don't usually bother travelling this far for a show.
|
|
805 posts
|
Post by duncan on Mar 14, 2019 13:47:05 GMT
Apparenty there was going to be a live rabbit in the show BUT after receiving several complaints from the Rabbit Welfare Association and its supporters, they decided the rabbit would no longer be included in the show.
Who knew there was a RWA!?!
|
|
3,072 posts
|
Post by david on Mar 14, 2019 13:50:13 GMT
Apparenty there was going to be a live rabbit in the show BUT after receiving several complaints from the Rabbit Welfare Association and its supporters, they decided the rabbit would no longer be included in the show. Who knew there was a RWA!?! Are the complaints from a Mr B. Bunny by any chance?
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 14, 2019 16:14:30 GMT
"That rabbit had a name. Two names."
(Obscure quote from the film, for anybody who is confused.)
|
|
1,904 posts
|
Post by sf on Mar 14, 2019 20:23:36 GMT
Apparenty there was going to be a live rabbit in the show BUT after receiving several complaints from the Rabbit Welfare Association and its supporters, they decided the rabbit would no longer be included in the show. Who knew there was a RWA!?!
"Don't Be the Bunny."
|
|
1,845 posts
|
Post by NeilVHughes on Mar 15, 2019 9:59:24 GMT
Taken the plunge and booked for this in Edinburgh, time for an adventure.
Day return Flight from Luton and a matinee.
Timings work well, 8:55 flight arrive 10:15, return flight 21:00 arrive 22:15 allowing some time to amble around Edinburgh, living in Borehamwood a simple direct train to Luton Airport so will be home similar time to a London evening show.
Cost not too excessive, comparable to a decent seat for when it arrives in London.
|
|
|
Post by learfan on Mar 15, 2019 10:38:48 GMT
Taken the plunge and booked for this in Edinburgh, time for an adventure. Day return Flight from Luton and a matinee. Timings work well, 8:55 flight arrive 10:15, return flight 21:00 arrive 22:15 allowing some time to amble around Edinburgh, living in Borehamwood a simple direct train to Luton Airport so will be home similar time to a London evening show. Cost not too excessive, comparable to a decent seat for when it arrives in London. Hope its worth it! Wish i was able to jump on a plane to Scotland just for a show.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 15, 2019 12:57:01 GMT
I'm doing the same twice next week - though am getting train up and sleeper back (quick dash to the station after the show)… The buzz on Twitter has been positive so I'm looking forward to seeing my favourite film reinterpreted on stage.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 19, 2019 23:44:46 GMT
Saw a preview of Local Hero tonight and loved it. It's funny, immersive, capturing the essence of the film without trying to replicate it. Good characterisations - much greater insight into Mac and Stella, with a more authentic, organic, grounded narrative. The plot has been subtly tweaked to lend itself to a greater crossover between characters and sacrifices cinematic licence in favour of theatrical realism. This is a great piece of work, underpinned by a strong versatile collection of songs from Mark Knopfler. Staging is excellent, ethereal at times. The cast is strong, with the characters of Mac and Ben standing out. No spoilers, but you feel less whimsy and more empathy watching this in a theatre rather than on film.
This is a great piece of work in progress which has the potential to be a front-runner.
Some one-line nuggets from the film remain, one glaring omission ("Are you sure there are two l's in dollar?" "...and are there two g's in bugger off?").
Note to director/producer - this problem can easily be fixed by rewriting the crossword section which is a bit vague. The "Ricky" gag is used once too many. I'm not a prude but overuse of the "f" word might alienate some folk plus might make an otherwise accessible piece of theatre slightly less accessible to some. A couple of folk around me were surprised, as part of the charm of the film is that f-word swearing is alluded to but not actually done. (Happer/Shrink)
Final point - more emphasis needs to be made of Mac's rock/water transition; the misplacing of the watch needs signposting better; greater care is needed over the collective hope in the community, which currently comes across as greed/avarice.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 20, 2019 7:50:55 GMT
I forgot to add... full house on a Tuesday night and a deserved standing ovation. Having slept on it, I would add that you get much more insight into what makes Stella tick. The villagers comprise local ne'er go anywheres and lone stars yearning for something more. I'm very familiar with the kind of folk being portrayed, as my parents live in the highlands, and none of the characters are exaggerated. The northern lights scene is truly magical. I'd argue that it is actually better than the film itself, as the way the Aurora is done is very clever. Having seen the real thing, the effects team deserve an award. The creative blend for this show is brilliant. Simple set with a 180 arc screen for projections, which makes it feel very modern but used sparingly. The 80s feel to Knox Oil has the bombast of the era, and the comet effect works surprisingly well. The Acetones make a great ceilidh (though I feel the cast would benefit from having a real ceilidh and make a bit more noise). Mac needs bringing into the village hubbub more instead of wryly spectating, and Gordon needs to be more subtle as the fixer. Viktor was excellent and ended the first half in style. Punk lady is underused, as the actress playing her has great comic timing (borne out by a great phone sketch). There needs to be more chemistry between Stella and Mac. Fulton Mackay's shoes are hard to fill, as are Burt Lancaster's, but both Ben and Happer are delivered with aplomb. My final thought is that Gordon Urquhart is played well, but I cant help feeling Denis Lawson's clean shaven, suave, but under the thumb Gordon is more believable, especially as he becomes more disheveled in the film. In the stage version, Gordon starts off disheveled and it undermines the character. He looks like no lawyer/accountant/hotelier/cabbie that I've ever met. Sound design is immense, the band is excellent, but the show needs more music to thread the action together. Rather than being a series of songs, there needs to be more recurrence of the Local Hero theme echoing through. Also, the end needs reworking. The lights should dim down so all thats left is the phone box ringing (no spoiler as it's the same as the film) and the "Going Home" track needs to kick in as Gordon and Stella go offstage. The audience loved this tune, so make more of the bows and final curtain - the cast looked ever so serious for people who had just delighted an audience with their talents. This feedback is all based on a preview. Work in progress. Folk last night travelled from Switzerland and Australia to see the show - they weren't disappointed.
|
|
805 posts
|
Post by duncan on Mar 21, 2019 20:53:17 GMT
Glacial doesn't even begin to describe the first half.
It needs oooomph! The direction is letting people down, too static for me aside from the celidh scene.
|
|
|
Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 21, 2019 21:04:33 GMT
I'm doing the same twice next week - though am getting train up and sleeper back (quick dash to the station after the show)… The buzz on Twitter has been positive so I'm looking forward to seeing my favourite film reinterpreted on stage. I'm travelling to Edinburgh on a Tuesday next month and staying overnight at a Premier Inn (£35) . Booked an amateur Sweet Charity on the Tuesday evening and seeing Local Hero Wednesday matinee, then train back to London and Kent on Wednesday evening. Could just about have done it as a day trip but cost works out about the same travelling off peak in both directions and no worries about train delays. Even more excited to see this having read your comments. Love the film !
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 21, 2019 22:10:49 GMT
Glacial doesn't even begin to describe the first half. It needs oooomph! The direction is letting people down, too static for me aside from the celidh scene. Ooommph? Like the film had? I agree that some directorial elements are questionable, but see this as a work in progress ahead of some time to tweak before it plays at the Old Vic. I see similarities to the way Groundhog Day was developed.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 21, 2019 22:13:25 GMT
I'm doing the same twice next week - though am getting train up and sleeper back (quick dash to the station after the show)… The buzz on Twitter has been positive so I'm looking forward to seeing my favourite film reinterpreted on stage. I'm travelling to Edinburgh on a Tuesday next month and staying overnight at a Premier Inn (£35) . Booked an amateur Sweet Charity on the Tuesday evening and seeing Local Hero Wednesday matinee, then train back to London and Kent on Wednesday evening. Could just about have done it as a day trip but cost works out about the same travelling off peak in both directions and no worries about train delays. Even more excited to see this having read your comments. Love the film ! You'll love the stage version. Take an open mind and see it as a new interpretation. I won't give any spoilers but the plot is a little different to the film and works well for it!
|
|
805 posts
|
Post by duncan on Mar 21, 2019 22:37:21 GMT
Glacial doesn't even begin to describe the first half. It needs oooomph! The direction is letting people down, too static for me aside from the celidh scene. Ooommph? Like the film had? I agree that some directorial elements are questionable, but see this as a work in progress ahead of some time to tweak before it plays at the Old Vic. I see similarities to the way Groundhog Day was developed. It's the lyceum landmark production this season, in no way should this be seen as a warm up for London.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 22, 2019 18:09:46 GMT
Ooommph? Like the film had? I agree that some directorial elements are questionable, but see this as a work in progress ahead of some time to tweak before it plays at the Old Vic. I see similarities to the way Groundhog Day was developed. It's the lyceum landmark production this season, in no way should this be seen as a warm up for London. I'm not sure I called it a warm-up. As a famous producer once said "great musicals are not written, they're rewritten". There will be changes before London, as there should be. Theatre is organic and fluid, and rarely perfect. Did you enjoy the second half?
|
|
805 posts
|
Post by duncan on Mar 23, 2019 10:08:01 GMT
5. Local Hero - Lyceum
Ambitious Texan oil executive Mac arrives in Scotland on a mission to buy a small seaside village and replace it with a refinery. But Mac soon finds out that putting a price on this scenic spot is more complicated than he bargained for. Before the locals get rich, they must decide what a village is worth – A million? A marriage? Or is feeling at home worth more than even money can buy?
Mark Knopfler and David Greig present the World Premiere of this new musical based on the Bill Forsyth film. Forsyth has been vocal about being shut out of the production process and you can see why - changes have been made to reduce the scale of the film to sit it on stage and gone are the characters played on film by Peter Capaldi and Jenny Seagrove BUT these changes remove the background plots that helped propel the film so instead we get a glacially paced first half as there is nothing going on with the supporting characters to hold our interest.
We lose our focus on the community - they aren't characters in their own right, they have become the supporting cast in a musical who are there to fill out some time. A musical of scale will normally have plots A through M to keep us going and indeed in some shows such as Guys and Dolls its the N plots that end up providing the best song and memorable moments but not here. The cast are all trying valiantly to show that they are playing different tropes within a community but with the exception of Viktor the Russian trawler Captain and Mistress Fraser his onshore love interest the supporting cast aren't really given much to do and float around as faceless characterisations in the background with the occasional number. Ten actors in search of a community. And lets get one thing straight - the community here are bastards, people seem to remember the film as being a warm hearted comedy about a man finding himself in the Highlands of Scotland but forget that essentially the community are happy to do harm to Ben to ensure they get their money.
The biggest issues I have is that the first half needs a rocket up its arse - to call the pace glacial would be an understatement, things thankfully improve in the second half but the opening 75 minutes or so are turgid. I know people will say that its based on a film that could be called languid but that film had a visual flair and that's my second big problem here, the direction. This is static, its people on a stage standing about for far too long - it needs injections of pace, punch and flair but we get far too many longueur sections that need oomph to keep the show moving, there is some decent comedy in the script most of which has been pinched from the film and a lot of the original comedy moments fall flat and the best bit of comedy in the whole thing is an exceptionally subtle press of a button that is probably missed by most people (and certainly will be if you are in Row A or B of the stalls as I could just see it from C). This is 160 minutes, 20 minute interval included, and could easily be tightened up to be a better show.
The second half is a lot more interesting and entertaining as that's when the actual story starts. People get given things to do and the drama side of things finally has a purpose. I'm not sure the Mac love story actually works but its certainly a far better 70 minutes or so than the first half.
I'm couldn't hum the score of Local Hero if asked and I'm not really a Dire Straits fan so the music on offer isn't something that stands out for me, I could name 4 Knopfler songs from his entire career and indeed best know him for the use of "Brothers in Arms" at the end of "Two Cathedrals" and part of the issue I had here is that every so often I kept thinking the score had started playing "Brothers in Arms" and then it veered off elsewhere. Its still a nice enough score that offers some variation but if you aren't a Knopfler fan this isn't going to convert you to the cause.
They also save Coming Home for the end of the show, as with the film its the accompaniment of the "credits" and the band played right on through to the end even after the lights had come up and people were leaving. There was a small number of people giving a standing ovation at the end.
Of the cast its Katrina Bryan as the Stella, the bidey-in and dance partner of the Hotel Owner, who is the most impressive - a character that can see the village for what it is and what will be lost if they sell out to Knox Oil. A character that is willing to give up everything to ensure that progress is halted and Bryan is nuanced, subtle and in your face as and when required. Simon "Jack Meadows" Rouse is no Burt Lancaster and indeed his American accent is more Grimsby than Galveston.
If you enjoy the film, you'll enjoy this but unlike the similar drawn from existing filmic material of Tutti Frutti or the jukebox musical of Sunshine on Leith this isn't its own beast its more homage than being something that can stand on its own - 6/10. Could do better.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2019 12:05:46 GMT
A brilliantly detailed review,Sir.Not sure what your background is but this is the kind of thoughtful and sensitive writing that the likes of The Stage should invest in.We are really blessed to have such in-depth and focussed journalism on the site.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 23, 2019 22:03:16 GMT
I look forward to reading more positive reviews over coming days, as Duncan's erudite but 'glacial' review seems to miss alot of the essence of "Local Hero". I'm sure Mark Knopfler won't lose any sleep over an online critic not knowing more than four of his songs.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 8:37:17 GMT
Does anyone know the running time for this? I was thinking of going on the matinee of the 13th, but I’ll be at Matilda for the evening show, and just wanted to know how much time I’d have between shows.
|
|
393 posts
|
Post by altamont on Mar 24, 2019 9:06:22 GMT
Duncan mentions above that it is 160 minutes including the interval, in preview
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 24, 2019 9:39:21 GMT
Yes - 2hrs 40 mins including 20 minute interval.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 24, 2019 11:38:30 GMT
Good review of "Local Hero" from The Stage:
Local Hero review at Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh – ‘charming musical version of much-loved film’
Bill Forsyth’s 1983 film about a US oil exec who comes to Scotland and falls for the place and its people is beloved by many. It’s easy to see why – it’s a film of immense charm, a love letter to the transformative beauty of Scotland. David Greig’s warm, new musical version has been adapted in consultation with Forsyth and features a slew of new songs from the composer of the original soundtrack, Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler. Mac (Damien Humbley) is a Houston oilman sent by his eccentric, comet-obsessed boss to the tiny Scottish coastal village of Ferness to buy up the beach and build a refinery. Once there, he befriends pub landlord-slash-lawyer Gordon (Matthew Pidgeon) and his Glasgow-born girlfriend Stella (Katrina Bryan). As he brokers a deal with the locals, the town starts to cast a spell on him. He gains a new appreciation for the stars, the sea, the sand, and his tininess in the scheme of things. Greig’s adaptation jettisons some of characters, the mermaid business and much of the stuff with the bunny. One of the major strengths of John Crowley’s production is its gentleness. It doesn’t overegg the 1980s setting and there are no overt Trump references despite the obvious parallels. It doesn’t overly romanticise small town Scottish life either; the fishing industry was in decline and most of the characters grab at the chance to inflate their bank accounts, as made clear in the song Filthy Dirty Rich. Designer Scott Pask has conjured the coastal town using five oxidised blocks to represent the sea wall and a clutch of miniature houses along with a tiny version of the film’s famous red phone box. Knopfler’s music and Paul Arditti’s sound design create a sense of the sea as a presence, while the top half of the stage is taken up by a curved screen that video designer Luke Halls uses as a planetarium, streaked with comets, glowing green, then red. Humbley is charming, if a bit too polished, as Mac, his transformation too swift, but he’s an ingratiating presence and has a nice rapport with the genial Pidgeon. Bryan gives a nuanced and strong performance as Stella, regretful, reflective, complex, with a fine voice. There are several good ensemble numbers, including the driving That’ll Do Me, in which the townspeople dream of what they’ll do with the money they make from the sale, and a party scene in which everyone get increasingly sozzled as the night wears on and Mac gets his first glimpse of the aurora borealis. While some of the songs feel like filler and there’s nothing that matches the evocative beauty of the original score, Greig’s version works because it has a handle on what made the film so appealing. It captures its essence, its warmth, in a moving ode to Scotland and its skies.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 24, 2019 11:53:38 GMT
Great review of "Local Hero" from The Guardian:
Local Hero review – oil-movie gem strikes a salty musical note (4 stars)
Bill Forsyth’s bittersweet comic drama about a Scottish village’s fight with an oil firm sheds its whimsy in this tougher version, scored by Mark Knopfler It is 1983 and there is an American in paradise. Mac arrives in Ferness, a coastal village in north-west Scotland, cradling two briefcases and an injured rabbit. He has flown in from Texas and is in need of a drop of the hard stuff, whisky, and rather more than a drop of the black stuff – oil. Mac’s energy firm wishes to buy the village and beach, and build a huge refinery in their place. But will the villagers sell? What price, if any, can one put on home? These are questions posed by Local Hero, a new musical based on Bill Forsyth’s beloved 1983 film. Adapting it for the stage has brought two challenges, the first physical. Much of the original’s poetry came from simply pointing the camera at sea and sky. It was easy to understand how Mac could fall in love with and be changed for the better by such a place. Who wouldn’t? Such beauty has moral force, and director John Crowley enjoys reasonable success in suggesting it through effects – sunsets, the aurora borealis – projected on to a planetarium-like screen. The darkened auditorium stands for the horizon and lapping Atlantic; during ballads, singers stare out, yearning, above the audience’s heads. It helps that most who see this production in Edinburgh will have personal experience of that landscape. They will know the ache of a Highland twilight, the way that sorrow is an invisible band in the colour spectrum. This cannot be relied upon when the show transfers to London next year. The second challenge is knottier: capturing the feel, the ineffable Forsythness, of the film. Bill Forsyth’s aesthetic is a tender melancholic whimsy. The men in his films are boyish, delighted by shooting stars and summer skies, forever seeking nice girls to make their knees weak. Advertisement Forsyth is a co-writer of this musical, together with the Royal Lyceum’s artistic director David Greig, and their collaboration has created a change in tone. The humour is saltier, the male leads tougher and, as for those nice girls, well, there are more of them, they are adults and they aren’t quite as nice. Stella, the hotel cook, was a sparkle-eyed cypher in the film; here, played by Katrina Bryan, she is, arguably, the title character, the hero who stands up for her locale, even though, as a Glaswegian, she is an incomer herself. “You won’t see the stars for the light,” she warns against the refinery, as someone named Stella ought. She has some enjoyably spiky scenes with Mac, played by Damian Humbley – gallus versus Dallas. Mark Knopfler, whose score was so much part of the film’s charm, wrote the music and lyrics for the new songs. They carry the story and themes well enough, but one feels the lack of a true showstopper. Filthy Dirty Rich comes closest, Matthew Pidgeon, as Gordon the innkeeper, embodying its priapic ceilidh energy. Risking friction burns, he does the pelvic thrust wearing green jumbo cords.
The creative team have been admirably unafraid to allow an often very funny production to be sad deep in its bones. It is a calculated gamble. They know they have joy on tap: Knopfler’s celebrated Local Hero theme tune, Going Home, without which, like the iconic red telephone box, this show would be unimaginable. When these ring out, hearts lift.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 24, 2019 12:07:01 GMT
Good review of "Local Hero" in The Scotsman
Local Hero at Royal Lyceum Theatre review: ‘magic of Bill Forsyth’s film conjured up on stage’ (4 stars)
A BIG SKY, a beach, a row of tiny houses along a harbour wall; and in the foreground, an old-fashioned red telephone box, glowing in the west highland dusk. Oh yes, it’s Local Hero - but this time not Bill Forsyth’s legendary 1983 film, but the brand new stage musical version, co-produced by the Old Vic in London and Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, which celebrated its joyful, touching and - in the end - highly emotional world premier at the Lyceum this weekend. Unpack the reasons why the Lyceum has felt compelled - twice in this spring season - to create shows based on world-famous films with instant name recognition, and they can seem brutal; much commercial theatre in Britain has been dependent for years on tribute shows that exploit the instant audience-appeal of popular music and film, and now the same box-office imperatives are spreading to the cash-strapped public sector. If the “show of the film” is set to play a growing part in theatre repertoires, though, then this gorgeous, convivial version of Local Hero - like the recent Lyceum/Bristol Old Vic staging of Touching The Void - demonstrates exactly how to do it, with grace, inventiveness, and a real feeling for the special quality of live theatre. Scripted by Bill Forsyth and David Greig, and featuring a brilliant series of 19 new songs by the film’s original composer Mark Knopfler, the show emerges as a slightly harder-edged version of Forsyth’s original story about a struggling west Highland fishing village suddenly transformed when young oil man “Mac” MacIntyre arrives from Houston, offering untold wealth in return for the right to build a giant oil refinery that would obliterate the village and the bay. The outstanding feature of John Crowley’s production is the rousingly excellent ensemble work of its terrific 15-strong cast, led by Damian Humbley as Mac, Matthew Pigeon as local lawyer and hotel owner Gordon Urquhart, and Katrina Bryan as Gordon’s partner Stella, a much more proactive character than her film equivalent. All of them sing magnificently, in Knopfler’s series of eloquent, witty and sometimes breathtakingly lyrical songs, from Mac’s beautiful meditative early ballad Houston We Have A Problem, to pitch-perfect whole-company comic numbers like Gordon’s memorable Filthy, Dirty Rich.
Lucy Hind’s choreography is outstanding; Scott Pask’s set, with its simple harbour wall and great shifting diorama of sky, works brilliantly, and often threatens to take the breath away. And if the show’s second half is too long, by one song and a couple of false endings, the overall effect is to conjure up again, with added historical perspective and theatrical energy, the pure magic of Bill Forsyth’s original work, 36 years ago: the idea of a possible Scotland that might learn how to exploit or conserve its huge natural resources for the benefit of the whole community, evoked with a comic lightness of touch that deservedly makes Local Hero one of the best-loved Scottish stories of the last half-century, and one with ever-stronger global resonances, across a troubled world.
|
|
2,734 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Mar 24, 2019 12:16:13 GMT
Average review of "Local Hero" in The Telegraph
Local Hero, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, review: a beloved Scottish film ends up as a lacklustre musical (three stars)
There was excited anticipation – and some controversy – ahead of this world premiere of the stage musical based on Bill Forsyth’s iconic 1983 film Local Hero, in which a Texas oilman arrives in the fictional coastal village of Ferness, in the north-west of Scotland, intent on turning it into an oil refinery. The feelgood gloss took a decided knock when Forsyth (who is credited as co-author, with David Greig, of the book for the show) announced that he would not be attending the opening night. The veteran filmmaker had, he said, been sidelined from the creative process and reduced to the role of a mere “editor”. We will probably never know whether his co-producers, the Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh and London’s Old Vic, were guilty of gross disrespect, or Forsyth was at fault for having too thin a skin for such a collaborative process. In any case, the proof of the proverbial pudding is that, had he been in attendance at last night’s opening, the filmmaker would have had entirely different reasons to express disappointment. Although director John Crowley succeeds in evoking much of the warm humour of the original film, Mark Knopfler’s songs are depressingly unmemorable. What is strange is that the former Dire Straits frontman had two very distinct starting points for his score; namely, his much-loved theme tune for the 1983 film, and Scottish traditional music. Both feature, but neither stamps its authority on a set of songs that is characterised, both musically and lyrically, by an insipid sentimentality. It’s a pity, as the production is blessed with some fine performances, not least from Matthew Pidgeon as hotel proprietor-cum-financial advisor Gordon. The early number in which (having just learned of the proposed oil deal) he celebrates his coming wealth is more memorable for Pidgeon’s hilariously exuberant performance than for anything happening on the musical front. Damian Humbley, too, is nicely cast in the role of MacIntyre, the lonely Houston oil executive, which he plays with the perfect combination of go-getting arrogance, human frailty and self-effacing humour. The book (from which Forsyth has distanced himself) winks at many of the film’s best-loved jokes, from a well-aged whisky being “old enough to be out on its own” to the unknown parentage of the village baby. The script takes some wrong turns, such as the irritatingly incongruous scene (complete with terrible song) in which the women of the village try to persuade the eccentric beach-dweller Ben to sell up and move into a retirement home. Scott Pask’s understated set relies heavily upon Luke Halls’s impressive projections for its sense of spectacle, which it achieves most notably in the moments when it evokes the night skies over the Highlands. Ultimately, however, weighed down by Knopfler’s lacklustre score, the production seems perpetually stuck in second gear.
|
|
1,845 posts
|
Post by NeilVHughes on Mar 24, 2019 12:18:39 GMT
ceebee , good to see positive reviews for a production that could have been torn to pieces due to the warmth the original film is held, glad I took a punt.
|
|