★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Jacqueline

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

The joyous new musical The Stamping Ground, featuring the music of Celtic rock band, Runrig, has burst onto the Festival Theatre stage as part of its current Scottish tour.

The Stamping Ground, commissioned by Eden Court Highlands and Raw Material, tells the story of a family who returns from London to their former life in the Highlands following a brutal attack on their daughter. However, each of the family members gets more change than they had originally bargained for, as old flames are rekindled, secrets are revealed and the community unites to protect their home.

Caitlin Forbes is captivating as Fiona, a young girl struggling with her identity and sense of belonging. Her scenes with Summer (Naomi Stirrat) are some of the strongest of the show as the girls come to terms with their relationship. Ali Watt portrays Euan, Fiona’s father, in a way that simultaneously makes you feel his pain and turmoil, while also feeling deep frustration at how he is treating those around him. There is not a weak link within the cast, and it is easy to become invested in watching how the family relationships develop onstage, particularly from our four main women: Caitlin Forbes, Naomi Stirrat, Annie Grace and Jenny Hulse.

This is a “jukebox” musical, using the music of the iconic Scottish band Runrig to tell the story. It’s truly joyous to watch a musical where the cast is openly singing in authentic Scottish accents. All too often performers find themselves having to hide their manner of speaking in order to be more palatable to a mainstream audience. Though the music of Runrig is rousing and joyous, there are moments where the songs seem slightly disconnected from the preceding dialogue. This is an issue that can easily affect jukebox musicals and is not a major concern, but a more natural segue from speech into music would enable the plot to flow more smoothly. Particular highlights of the show include the titular song and the Loch Lomond finale which had the entire stalls on their feet, singing along and sharing their national pride with the rest of the audience.

The Stamping Ground Musical Review (2).jpg

The theme of community runs through the heart of the story, with a particular focus on trying to save a local pub which is risking closure to make space for holiday homes. The pub plotline reminded me a lot of The Choir of Man, another fantastic show that had its opening in Scotland and focusses on the necessity of community spaces and what is at risk of being destroyed. With each passing year, Scotland’s highland communities are at greater risk of being lost to tourism (for example, the plans to build a Flamingoland resort at Loch Lomond), so to see this kind of story being brought to the stage truly emphasises the reality of what people are facing in the fight to protect their communities.

Kenneth MacLeod’s set design is simple yet incredibly effective, and when paired with Simon Wilkinson’s lighting design it truly feels as though you are surrounded by the glorious and mystical mountains of the Scottish highlands.

Luke Kernaghan’s direction brings this musical to life and ties each element together cohesively. The show encourages audiences to consider what it means to be part of a community, whether the diaspora can ever return home, and what spaces are at risk of being lost to modern-day tourist developments. This is a show full of heart, joy, wisdom and community, and it is sure to make a lasting impression on the Scottish theatre scene both on this tour and beyond.