Wild Rose
★★★★★ Triumphant
Royal Lyceum Theatre: Thurs 6 Mar – Sat 19 Apr 2025
Review by Hugh Simpson
New musical Wild Rose is the last show of David Greig’s eight years as Artistic Director of the Lyceum and it is an absolute triumph.
The production, from the Lyceum, Caledonia Productions and Gavin Kalin, is based on the acclaimed 2019 Tom Harper-directed movie starring Jessie Buckley. Nicole Taylor, the writer of the film’s screenplay, has written this new stage version directed by John Tiffany.
Dawn Sievewright plays Rose-Lynn, an aspiring Glaswegian country singer who is released after serving a year in Cornton Vale. Her attempts to make it in the music business are hampered by geography, her past and the need to rebuild her relationship with her children.
Dawn Sievewright and the Wild Rose company. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
The end result, while true to the source, is very much a theatrical experience and very much a musical. Some of the songs that appear on the film soundtrack remain, but are joined by others. As Rose-Lynn says in the play, whatever the emotion or situation, country music can supply a song about it.
This means that the production avoids those awkward moments familiar from your average jukebox musical, where the lead-up to a song starts to become painfully obvious. What helps even more is that the chosen songs (with one obvious exception played largely for laughs), while distinguished and familiar to aficionados, are not ones that will be instantly recognisable to a wider audience.
exemplary sure-footedness
So forget any of the ‘will this do?’ feelings that such stage musicals tend to provoke. This is a beautifully achieved, marvellously written, tremendously well-staged piece of theatre, directed with exemplary sure-footedness by Tiffany. There is a momentum to the production that makes every moment count, sweeping the audience along and brooking no argument.
Blythe Duff in Wild Rose. PicMihaela Bodlovic
Sievewright is an absolute force of nature as Rose-Lynn, completely owning the stage when singing. Which is not to say that this is in any way a one-dimensional performance; the moments of humour, pathos and vulnerability are equally well done.
Blythe Duff also supplies that pathos as Rose-Lynn’s despairing mother Marion. Janet Kumah, as Rose-Lynn’s well-heeled employer Susannah, makes fully-formed a role that could come across as superficial and patronising. Peter Hannah, as her husband Sam, shows commendable versatility in a variety of other roles. Louise McCarthy (who also featured in the film) has energetic tunefulness and brilliant comic timing as Jackie, proprietress of a Glasgow country bar.
beautifully judged cameos
They are backed up by an ensemble featuring exuberant and beautifully judged cameos by such notable performers as Andy Clark and Hannah Jarrett-Scott. If there could be any criticism of the production, it may be that the ensemble are a shade under-used, you certainly wouldn’t complain if there was just a little more of Steven Hoggett and Vicki Manderson’s outstanding choreography.
Janet Kumah in Wild Rose. PicMihaela Bodlovic
The extreme care and intelligence on display is shown by the depiction of Rose-Lynn’s children Wynonna and Lyle. Subtly aged up a little from the film, their dialogue is pin-sharp; the result is truly affecting without the schmaltz you might expect. The roles were played here to astonishing effect by Alfie Campbell and Lily Ferguson (who share with Calum Middleton, Leo Stephen, Ayla Sherriff and Jessie-Lou Harvie).
The moment when the children start to join in with Peace In This House (recorded by the Wynonna from whom the character takes her name) is a truly magical one. The contrast with the rip-roaring, foot-stomping numbers makes the more understated moments hit harder. This is exemplified by Duff’s performance of the Chicks’ Top of the World, which is without histrionics, perfectly acted and utterly devastating.
nailed the combination
Those uptempo moments are still astounding, however. There have been so many productions described as ‘gig theatre’ that have neither the excitement of a gig or the subtlety of theatre. Without describing itself as such, this production might just have nailed the combination.
Dawn Sievewright and the Wild Rose company. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
There is a brilliant live band onstage throughout; Sarah Travis and Davey Anderson’s music supervision, orchestration and arrangements are exemplary, as is Tony Gayle’s sound design. The sound balance and volume are spot on, and you can hear every word of every song, which is so rarely the case. The end result is both viscerally exciting and emotionally satisfying.
There must also be a mention for Chloe Lamford’s effective and thoroughly theatrical design, Jessica Hung Han Yun’s lighting, Katrina Lindsay’s costumes and Lewis den Hertog’s video design. And a shout out for Carole Hancock’s hair design, which features some outstanding wigs.
melodic, funny, messy and raucous
Yes, there are stage adaptations of films that are cynical cash-ins, which is part of the reason so many people don’t like musicals. This is emphatically not one of those. And it would be understandable to be turned off by any show that advertises itself as ‘uplifting’ – but uplifting (as well as melodic, funny, messy and raucous) is exactly what Wild Rose is.
Running time: Two hours and 35 minutes (including one interval)
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay St, EH9 3AX
Thursday 6 March – Saturday 19 April 2025
Tues – Sat at 7.30 pm; Matinees Wed, Sat 2.30 pm
Further details and tickets: Book here.
Dawn Sievewright and the Wild Rose company. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
ENDS
