Sunshine on Tollcross

Proclaimers Musical for King’s

Sunshine on Leith is to be “revived and revitalised” as a new touring production of the musical based on the songs of the Proclaimers is announced for the Edinburgh King’s in Spring 2018.

Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Monday 4 September 2017. The West Yorkshire Playhouse production will open in Leeds in April and play Edinburgh 22 – 26 May 2018 before touring to Aberdeen, Coventry, Dundee, Glasgow and Inverness (see listings for details).

Direction will be from the West Yorkshire Playhouse’s artistic director James Brining, who was responsible for commissioning and directing Dundee Rep’s original production of the show in 2007.

The musical follows the return from active service overseas of soldiers Davy and Ally, to be confronted with relationships, blind dates and commitments. As the pair embark on intertwining journeys in love, they begin to question what home really means to them as they rediscover their sense of identity.

Dundee Rep’s original production won the TMA’s Best Musical gong, toured three times and was adapted for the big screen in 2013. The show is a big favourite with amateur companies, most recently being staged in Edinburgh by Allegro in October 2016. Captivate drama took it to the fringe for three years running, 2014-16.

Announcing the tour, Brining said: “I am thrilled to be directing Sunshine On Leith, a show which is bursting with heart and energy. It’s such an entertaining and emotionally charged musical, which explores ideas of home and identity, falling in love and picking up the pieces when it all falls apart.”

new production

The show is scripted by Stephen Greenhorn who created River City for BBC Scotland and who first rose to prominence with Passing Places for the Traverse in 1997.

Greenhorn said: “It is fantastic to have the chance to revive and revitalise Sunshine On Leith with James Brining at West Yorkshire Playhouse. It has been 10 years since we first staged the musical in Dundee and I can’t wait to bring this musical back to theatre audiences in an exciting new production.”



Although Sunshine on Leith is at its heart a jukebox musical and is certainly a great night out, that is not to say that is without depth or further resonance, as Brining points out.

He said: “As the UK questions whether it’s still one country and what “Britain” means in the 21st Century, this show questions if your roots and your home really define you. With the beautiful, barnstorming, popular songs of the Proclaimers as its soundtrack, the show never fails to ignite big and powerful emotions from its audience.”

Billed as a “fresh and affirmative” take on the original, the production will have a set and costume designed by Colin Richmond, who’s work includes the 2016 tour of Annie and the 2014 production of Pressure at the Lyceum.

Commenting on the announcement, Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We are very honoured that one of the top theatres in Britain is mounting the show. We hope that the performances are joyful events for the cast and audiences.”

Musical supervision will be by well-regarded composer and MD David Shrubsole who won critical acclaim for his work on the National Theatre’s 2016 production of Threepenny Opera. Casting will be announced at a later date.

Listing

Sunshine on Leith
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, Grindlay Street, EH3 9LQ
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May 2018
Evenings: 7.30pm, Matinees Weds, Sat: 2.30pm.
Tickets: http://www.capitaltheatres.com/sunshineleith
(Tickets go on general sale from 10am on Monday 4 September 2017)

The DVD and soundtrack of the film adaptation are availalbe to buy on Amazon:

ENDS

Tags: Charlie Reid, Colin Richmond, Craig Reid, David Shrubsole, James Brining, King's Theatre, Musicals, News, Production News, Stephen Greenhorn, Sunshine on Leith, The Proclaimers, Yorkshire Playhouse