King’s Theatre, Glasgow, 28th June 2025
Back in 1985, Restless Natives, was a trashy Local Hero knock-off. It was about as fashionable as Black Lace or Babysham, not because it was bad, but because it was in the wry shadow of Bill Forsyth. Even its stirring soundtrack by (nearly) world famous rock band, Big Country, was in the shadow of naff-but-MTV juggernaut, Dire Straits. An undeserved flop in the cinema, like Withnail and I, it slowly became a cult classic on video, by virtue of its funny script, great cast, relatable characters, gorgeous landscapes, a fairy tale ending and a soundtrack that grew in stature as new generations failed to see any connection between it and Local Hero.
Like Local Hero, it has now been made into a stage musical, albeit one that, yet again, appears to have a lower budget and lower prestige than its old role model. It clatters along with a huge amount of charm and new songs that don’t disgrace their inspiration. I couldn’t quite hum them on the way out of the theatre, but it was very close. A few people were disappointed that it didn’t end with a In A Big Country grand finale singalong, and I have to say What Kind of Country Is This? was a little humble-braggy for my taste, and almost no one recognised I Walk The Hill. As an audience, we failed ourselves.
There are a few issues that could do with a tweak before it tours again, especially if it’s going to Foreign Lands, like Cumbria. The Scottish cringe is no excuse for accidentally sounding like something Farage farted out on Question Time. One thing Scottish Nationalism has never done is imply that it’s ok to rob Americans and Continentals because we’re stuck in a Union with the English. It’s hardly the production’s fault that the lines about ‘heroes sleeping under the hills’ waiting to wake up and save the nation are reminiscent of all the racist accounts on Corpse of Twitter with AI profile pics of Richard the Lionheart, but it does make the lines fall a little flat. The dampening effect is at its worst on a dis song between desperately earnest Scottish tour guide, Margot, played by Kirsty MacLaren, and line-dancing, gun-toting, rootin’-tootin’ Texas Ranger, Bender, played by Sarah Galbraith. The vulgar laughs at each dig they make at each other come with a slight suspicion that Margot hates her for existing. It doesn’t help that the ‘real’ villains in the second act are coded as Cockney and French, or that it forgets the basic plot – highway robbers in clown and wolf masks are so polite and inept that they surprisingly become a tourist attraction – and has them lovable and protected by the Scottish police right from the start.
Which isn’t to say that this crime caper isn’t worthwhile or great fun. Add in more peril, replace the ethno-clunk with civic pride – and it would be perfect.
Lyrics by Ninian Dunnett, Music by Tim Sutton, Book by Ninian Dunnett, Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson, Directed by Michael Hoffman, based on the screenplay by Ninian Dunnett.
Kay Marquis 