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I have always loved going to the theatre, and having the West Yorkshire Playhouse, one of the leading UK producing theatres, right on my doorstep means I get to experience world-class show after world-class show!

Last night I had the privilege of seeing their latest offering, Sunshine On Leith.

Sunshine On Leith

Sunshine On Leith is the hit musical based on the music of Scottish duo, The Proclaimers.

I remember my dad having a CD of The Proclaimers and we’d all stomp along to the songs in the car (because everyone knows you can’t listen to The Proclaimers without stomping your feet!). Last night, the whole auditoria was stomping along and by the time the show reached its finale song, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), everyone was on their feet, singing and dancing.

It was electric!

The play follows three intertwined love stories – a young couple contemplating marriage together, a brand new couple on the cusp of love, and an older couple celebrating 30 years of marriage. It’s a story exploring individuality and the true meaning of love, asking that important question, “Do we want to make this work?” and it’s impossible not to be moved by such a heart-warming, feel-good show!

The show

The singing and musicality on display in this show was incredible! As a musician myself, this is the thing that really grabbed me. Right from the opening when a five-strong ensemble of guitars got everyone clapping and the beautiful harmonies rang out, I was blown away.

The two male leads, played by Paul-James Corrigan and Steven Miller, were amazing and when they sang in harmony, I got goosebumps.

Director James Brining said, “What we’ve done this time is to foreground the music. The band is on stage and there are several actor-musicians… we want to celebrate the music…”.This worked 100%, from the guitar-playing barman to the saxophonist being wheeled around in a supermarket trolley (yup – you’re curious now, aren’t you!).

Even the old upright piano was an integral part of the show, serving as the nurses’ station, with the pianist dressed in scrubs and leafing through paperwork.

10 reasons to go and see Sunshine On Leith

1. You’ll come away smiling!
2. The songs are super catchy
3. The modern cultural and political references will make you laugh out loud
4. The harmonies make your spine tingle
5. The breadth of story means there’s something for everyone
6. A band performing whilst being pushed around in shopping trolleys!
7. “But I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more…!”
8. The hilarious scene in the pub where Ally’s friends advise him on how to propose (set to the song, “Let’s get married”)
9. It’s a gritty story that everyone will relate to
10. It’s produced by WYP so you know it’s going to be fab!

It feels like every time I go to West Yorkshire Playhouse, I come away gushing about it, and this performance was no exception. In fact, I think this was my favourite so far, and I’m already looking into buying another set of tickets so I can see it again!

Sunshine On Leith will be showing at the West Yorkshire Playhouse until 19^th May 2018 before touring the following venues through May and June:

• King’s Theatre, Edinburgh
• His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
• Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
• Dundee Repertory Theatre
• King’s Theatre, Glasgow
• Eden Court, Inverness

Get your tickets for West Yorkshire Playhouse here – this is a show you won’t want to miss!

Disclaimer: I was given complimentary tickets in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. For more info, please check out my disclosure policy. All photos by Manuel Harlan and used with permission.

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