West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Featuring 18 tracks by the Scottish duo, this spirited show is a thing of joy. By the time I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) comes on, resistance is futile
Whisper it, but West Yorkshire Playhouse might just be making a case for the much-maligned jukebox musical. Knotting together 18 Proclaimers songs, Sunshine on Leith is refreshingly uncynical, resisting the easy wins and clunky contrivances that characterise most shows banking on a recognisable soundtrack. Even remounted after its success on the big screen in 2013, it feels like a thing of real joy, not a ploy to cash in.
For James Brining, this revival of his original 2007 production is a return and an ending. It’s an opportunity to revisit the greatest hit of his time as artistic director of Dundee Rep, while concluding one chapter of the Playhouse’s story before it closes for refurbishment. In coming back to the show, he marries the strengths of the piece with the strengths of the space. In this version, an on-stage boozer spills out into the stalls of the Quarry theatre, creating a sense of lager-scented community in an auditorium that can so often feel cavernous and impersonal.
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