REVIEW: Restless Natives at Eden Court - by someone who hasn't seen the film

Press and Journal

3 days ago

Before I start, I have a confession to make; I have never seen the film Restless Natives.
But when offered an opportunity to see the stage show on its opening night at Eden Court, the answer was an enthusiastic yes from me.
Thanks to social media, the cult phenomenon has been on my radar for some time, and I'm fully aware of the place it holds in the hearts of fans.
Looking around Eden Court before the show starts, I can tell there are a number of these in the audience, and I wonder how the musical stage version is going to measure up to their expectations.
The signs are good before we even take our seats – with a concessions stand selling merch and memorabilia that appears (at least to my uninitiated self) to capture the same feeling I've always sensed from the fandom.
And when the lights go up on the Empire Theatre stage and the first 80s tinged electric guitar notes ring out across the auditorium, I hear others in the audience exhale, seemingly reassured that they are in for a somewhat familiar ride.
And what a ride it is, full of pathos and joyful nostalgia, charged with pain and pride at the plight of the ordinary Scotsman (and woman) which rings as true today as it would have against the backdrop of Thatcher's 80s.
From the opening Big Country number to the whooping and whistling of the final curtain call, we are all drawn completely into this tale of working class heroes, love, longing and the creation of legend.
To an Eden Court audience – drawn from communities across the Highlands – the digs at some visitors' unrealistic opinions and expectations of us really hit home, with the dance-off scene between leading lady Margot (Kirsty McLaren) and an American interloper (Sarah Galbraith's Bender) a high point, which threatened to raise some out of their seats.
Kyle Gardiner and Finlay McKillop were a dream duo as Ronnie and Will – the clown and the wolfman – winning the audience over from the opening scene.
The chemistry between McKillop and McLaren lifted the love story arc to the next level, with stand-out vocal performances from both that had us holding our breath to catch every note and nuance.
There were a good number of laughs along the way too; Alan McHugh's stand-in portrayal of Will's dad brought a good number (with a huge nod to the understated brilliance of Ailsa Davidson's mum), while Caroline Deyga's character pieces certainly deserve special mention.
And of course, it was great to see the familar face of Ross Baxter back on the Eden Court stage, just months out from his star turn in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Eden Court Panto last Christmas.
Restless Natives on stage is a wonderful stand-alone musical, charged with emotion and played with pure enthusiasm. And, while I can't speak for the film's fandom, all the signs pointed to approval from those in the know in the audience – of course, if you want to know if it really stands up, you'll have to see it for yourself.
Restless Natives will play at Eden Court, Inverness until Sunday; catch them if you can!