Perth Theatre Restless Natives cast in 'hold up' charity stunt
£2500 randsome to Keep Scotland Beautiful charity to free 'captives'
The Perth Theatre cast of Restless Natives ambushed a tour bus - for a good cause – when it stopped in the Fair City.
A Rabbie's Tours bus was full of influencers, media, and their guests who experienced the unexpected encounter on the way to Perth Theatre from Edinburgh.
The cast of Restless Natives: The Musical staged a playful 'hold-up' in true rebellious spirit, celebrating the launch of the brand-new Scottish stage production.
But instead of passengers paying a ransom Rabbie's Tours stepped in with a giant cheque - a £2500 donation to Keep Scotland Beautiful.
Based on the beloved 1985 Scottish cult film two boys from a joke shop become 'Highland highwaymen,' cheekily holding up tour buses.
As a playful nod to that, the cast of the musical staged their own 'hold-up' of the Rabbie's bus on arrival in Perth - complete with masks, costumes, and plenty of mischief.
Keep Scotland Beautiful chief executive Barry Fisher said: 'While we don't normally condone holding up tour buses and visitors to our beautiful country, we are absolutely thrilled to have been selected by Rabbie's Tours to receive the ransom money from this Restless Natives stunt.
'We desperately need a sustained injection of cash to inspire and celebrate the efforts of communities across Scotland who volunteer their time to make the places they care about cleaner and greener.
'I guess we're all restless natives, trying to make Scotland a more beautiful place – from our rural beauty spots to our towns and cities.
'The impact this £2500 donation from Rabbie's Tours will have is immeasurable. We'll invest it in coordinating our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network – supporting and inspiring action on the ground and recognising achievements of 200+ groups across the country.'
The cheeky stunt marked the opening week of Restless Natives: The Musical, which runs at Perth Theatre from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, May 10 before heading out on a Scottish tour, visiting venues including Leith Theatre (Edinburgh), Macrobert Arts Centre (Stirling), His Majesty's Theatre (Aberdeen), Eden Court Empire Theatre (Inverness), and King's Theatre (Glasgow).
Produced and directed by the same team behind the 1985 original film, and co-produced by Perth Theatre, Restless Natives: The Musical brings the story of Ronnie and Will -Highland highwaymen turned folk heroes - to a new generation.
Featuring iconic music inspired by Big Country, and a book by original creators Ninian Dunnett, Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson alongside composer Tim Sutton, the musical celebrates Scotland's rebellious, resourceful spirit.
Restless Natives writer and lyricist Ninian Dunnett said: 'I'm a big, big fan of Keep Scotland Beautiful. Our glorious landscape and community mean so much to the story of Restless Natives, and I'm thrilled that our musical caper can help support their invaluable work.'
Rabbie's Tours chief executive Hazel Rickett said: 'The landscapes featured in Restless Natives are the same ones we proudly share with our passengers - wild, breathtaking, and deeply loved.
'By supporting Keep Scotland Beautiful, we're helping to protect those places so they remain that way for years to come.'
Tickets are on sale now for Restless Natives.
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