Review: Did Restless Natives cast steal the show at Perth?

Remember the Clown and the Wolfman?

Scots of a certain age will be familiar with the 1985 film Restless Natives, following this iconic pair of motorbike-riding hold-up men as they embark on a career robbing coaches loaded with wealthy tourists in the Scottish Highlands.

Even if you don’t know the film itself, chances are you might know the heart-swelling soundtrack by Big Country.

What is it?

The cast of Restless Natives on stage at Perth Theatre. Image: Mihaela Bodlivic.

Well, this is the belated stage musical version from the team behind the original film – writer Ninian Dunnett, producer Andy Paterson and director Michael Hoffman (who’s also known for the Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney-starring One Fine Day and survival thriller Alive).

Come for:

The nostalgia hit of returning to the 1980s, where under-employed Edinburgh teens Ronnie (Kyle Gardiner, who recently starred as Oor Wullie in Dundee Rep’s play version) and Will (Dundonian actor Finlay McKillop) seek to escape a dead-end life of boredom and hit the road for a new world of non-violent crime as Robin Hood media sensations.

The stage adaptation includes original songs as well as Big Country hits. Image: Mihaela Bodlivic.

Against designer Becky Minto’s backdrop of Highland trees and road signs, it conjures an old-fashioned, “wha’s like us?” sense of underdog Scottish patriotism, while also passing still-relevant comment on tourists’ views of Scotland.

Stay for:

The air of humour and heart-warming good times which runs through the piece.

Gardiner and McKillop are full of charm and energy as the young leads, as is Kirsty MacLaren as feisty tour bus guide Margot.

Restless Natives is an energetic production with set design by Becky Minto. Image: Mihaela Bodlivic.

There are a bunch of fun supporting characters too, like Sarah Galbraith’s off-her-patch Texas Ranger tourist Bender, Caroline Deyga’s hilariously disinterested bus station announcer and Harry Ward’s psychopathic crook Nigel.

Avoid if:

You want a full-on Big Country musical. Not that it’s been billed as such, but hits like In a Big Country and I Walk the Hill only make cameo appearances, while new, musical theatre-style songs by composer Tim Sutton are more prominent in the mix.

The cult classic has been reimagined for the stage. Image: Mihaela Bodlivic.

At times these are very funny, like the face-off between Margot’s Scottish country and Bender’s line-dancing, and occasionally they’re a bit silly, such as Nigel’s ode to being a criminal, which is like a scene out of Bugsy Malone.

It’s so packed, in fact, that there isn’t a lot of room for the characters to breathe, but that shouldn’t stop the tour of Scotland after this debut run at Perth Theatre being a big success.