Review: Aberdeen Student Show's Seagully Blonde, a love letter to the Broch
It's my favourite time of year and that's because the student show is back in town.
If you have never experienced the comedic genius of this annual event, now on its 103rd performance, I could not recommend it more highly.
Every year the most talented of scriptwriters come together to mirror one hit West End show, but with a twist – it's all set within the north-east of Scotland.
This year's tale Seagully Blonde followed very closely the story of Legally Blonde. Think Ellie Woods, but born in the Broch – and whose best friend is a seagull called Boozer.
After her boyfriend, who hails from the biggest fishing family in Fraserburgh, dumps her to go to university in the Granite City, our star, whose full name is Kinkell Woods, heads off on her own adventure, turning in her hairdressing scissors to become the best lawyer the halls of Aberdeen Sheriff Court have ever seen.
It was honestly one of the best things I have seen on stage this year, and that's not just because of the two honorable mentions The Press and Journal received.
The highly intelligent wit of the script not only followed the storylines and scores of a number of popular shows, but also delivered such detailed insights and social commentary on the psyches of north-east residents. They nailed the region's particular sense of humour to a tee.
It hit all the controversial topics ranging from LEZs, bus gates, Aberdeen City Council, Union Terrace Gardens, and of course the famous rivalry between Brochers and Bloo Toonsers.
I won't give too much away because I genuinely want you to all go and enjoy it as much as I do, but just trust me when I say you won't stop smiling the whole way through.
And now on to the talent. I honestly couldn't fault one of the young actors or actresses on stage, however there are some special mentions that are definitely deserved.
Ella Silver, as our lead Kinkell Woods, was everything that character should have been and more.
Amanda Haggart, who played Grunnie Peg, had me in stitches the whole night and her Broch accent was spot on.
Meanwhile Emmah Chibesakunda, who I praised for her role in Lyric's Witches of Eastwick, was a real star in last night's performance, as she took on the role of the gobby gull.
Her comic timing and delivery was truly impeccable.
And we can't forget the boys with Finlay Keir, as Anton Deck, and Conor McGarry, as Professor Calaholmes, both delivering memorable performances.
And if I could pick one stand out moment from the show, it would be the opening of the second act, when six HMP Grampian divas delivered their own version of Chicago's famous Cell Block Tango – a moment of theatre genius.
The show is running until Saturday, and I would challenge anyone to go and not enjoy it. I would argue this is impossible. You can buy tickets, while you can, here.
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
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Mythological musicals in animated form are not an especially new-fangled idea: DreamWorks has transposed several ancient, biblical stories to screen, their dramas fuelled by music and song, such as Joseph: King of Dreams and The Prince of Egypt (both these stories have since been adapted for the stage). Aspects of the story in Hercules have been reworked, although many of the loved songs are still there, say co-writers of the book, Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah. 'We hope the audience goes 'I know the music that was in the movie and now I'm going to accept this iteration …',' says Kwei-Armah. For Horn, the key question was how to adapt mythology 'without losing the DNA of what it is' while making it relevant to contemporary society – just as in the case of The Lightning Thief for Gee. 'It is a coming-of-age story, for me, but also a story about understanding where you fit in in the world and what your strength is.' Kwei-Armah's entry point to the myth was through the original story of Heracles, the divine Greek hero who later became known as Hercules in the Roman canon. 'What I find interesting,' he says, 'is how the story looks at the qualities that make you a god, the trials you have to go through in order to find out who we are, to find your tribe, to be accepted by the tribe you identify with and not just the tribe that is the dominant tribe. Part of the reason I responded to it so strongly when I was asked to join Robert and the team is that I felt it would be fun to investigate authenticity and the idea of being seen through ancient myth.' While they stayed true to the original story on the whole, they have added some new characters. 'We were given free rein, says Horn. 'That said, there is a musical element to the movie, and certain songs that are iconic. You don't want to lose those. Our job is to make those songs work organically even if we have to change the story. 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Metro
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At the time, the music mogul said: 'I can only say on live television that was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen.' 2011 - Jai McDowall: Viewers were stunned when Jai McDowall won the show in 2011, as young singer Ronan Parke was the favourite to win the series. 2012 - Ashleigh and Pudsy: Ashleigh Butler and her adorable pooch Pudsey stole hearts when they performed in series six of the talent show. 2013 - Attraction: Hungarian shadow artist group Attraction won the seventh series of Britain's Got Talent. The squad had taken part in the German version of BGT in 2012, however, they had only placed seventh. 2014 - Collabro: Classical music band Collabro faced tough competition in the 2014 final as all the finalist were singers, but they went on to scoop the crown. 2015 - Jules O'Dwyer & Matisse: Dog lovers everywhere could't get enough of Jules O'Dwyer and pet pup Matisse. The impressive duo even performed on a tightrope to secure their win. 2016 - Richard Jones: Army man Richard Jones became the first magician in the show's history to win Britain's Got Talent. 2017 - Tokio Myers: Pianist Tokio Myers impressed the judges with his blend of classical and electronic music. 2018 - Lost Voice Guy: Stand-up comedian Lost Voice Guy, who performs with a speech synthesiser, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was six months old. However, he defied the odds and is a BGT champ. 2019 - Colin Thackery: Veteran army officer Colin Thackery warmed the nations hearts with his singing voice. He was crowned winner of BGT after singing Michael Ball's Love Changes Everything. 2020 - Jon Courtenay: Singer and pianist Jon Courtenay was Ant and Dec's Golden Buzzer act. After he won the £250,000 prize he said: ""Just amazing, I can't believe it." 2022 - Axel Blake: Comedian Axel Blake scooped the crown after the show was off air for two years during Covid. 2023 - Viggo Venn: Known for his high-vis jackets, comedian Viggo Venn was victorious in 2023. 2024 - Sydnie Christmas: The reigning champ is singer Sydnie Christmas.
