A wry comedy about a man who sets out to buy a beach, but ends up losing his heart to a village, Bill Forsyth’s magical Local Hero takes to the stage with new music and songs by the legendary Mark Knopfler. Read more …
Ambitious Texan oil executive Mac MacIntyre arrives in Scotland on a mission to buy a small seaside village and replace it with a refinery. It’s the deal of a lifetime, but Mac soon finds out that putting a price on this scenic spot is more complicated than he bargained for. Before the locals get rich, they must decide what a village is worth –a Maserati? A million? A marriage? Or is feeling at home worth more than even oil money can buy?
Treasured by a generation in Scotland and loved far and wide, Local Hero is one of the defining moments of Scottish storytelling. Now the original creators of the international hit film and bestselling soundtrack Bill Forsyth and Mark Knopfler have teamed up with The Lyceum’s Artistic Director David Greig to create this brand new musical stage production with a multi-award winning creative team.
Local Hero is enjoyable enough. But for a show that appears to have large ambitions for its future, ‘enjoyable enough’ just isn’t enough.
Bill Forsyth’s bittersweet comic drama about a Scottish village’s fight with an oil firm sheds its whimsy in this tougher version, scored by Mark Knopfler.
The overall effect is to conjure up again, with added historical perspective and theatrical energy, the pure magic of Bill Forsyth’s original work.
As one of Scotland’s most beloved stories of previous decades, everything has been done to conjure up the resilience, humour and valour Scotland utilises in it’s past, present and future.
Has the authenticity and drive one would expect considering the source material, but fails to add much that is new.
Arriving onstage at a time when billionaire bullies are running the world’s natural resources into the ground, this is a joyful gaze at a sky-full of possibilities beyond.
Comforting rather than bracing, and following the wistful themes of the source film, Local Hero is entertaining, heart-felt and warm, although it suggests deeper conflicts between place and capital, change and stability, idealism and reality that it fails to examine.
The best way to think of the eagerly awaited world premiere of Local Hero, adapted for the stage by David Greig and Bill Forsyth in a co-production between the Lyceum and the Old Vic, is to liken it to a campfire: from a slow beginning, it sparks into life, glows from the heart, dances in the dark and sings. Warming all who shelter from the storm.
An excellent adaptation of a classic film that is hilarious, heartbreaking and all too relevant.
Though lacking an obvious showstopper, Knopler's songs feel familiar and dramatically satisfying, rooted in character and story.
Expert and smooth.
Local Hero is an enjoyable enough musical – funny in parts, moving when it wants to be and ticking most of the boxes that fans of the film will want to see ticked.
Bill Forsyth’s adaptation of his 1983 film, with new music by Mark Knopfler, is topical all over again.
A masterpiece of the modern musical, beautiful and true.
A moderately entertaining disappointment.
Perhaps it’s joyless to poke holes in the magic spell cast over many by this reasonably entertaining and well-delivered revisiting of the original Local Hero, but good grief, haven’t we moved on even a little bit from the values of 1983?
Bill Forsyth, David Greig and Mark Knopfler retain the charm and humour of the original, nodding to but not overplaying the serious message.
David Greig on adapting Local Hero for the Royal Lyceum
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Seven classic moments from the film Local Hero
Local Hero extends run
Set designer Scott Pack on the Lyceum's Local Hero musical: "don't even bank on a phone box"
Where they are now? The stars of Scottish classic Local Hero
Video: The making of Local Hero--the musical stage production
10 signs of community in Local Hero and their message for us today
Mark Knopfler: Bringing Local Hero to the stage both daunting and exciting.
How have the original locations of Local Hero changed since 1983
Local Hero writer 'frozen out' of Edinburgh musical
John Crowley on the "crazy challenge" of directing the Royal Lyceum's Local Hero musical
Mac's back: Scotland's treasured Local Hero is reborn as a musical
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh from Thursday March 14, 2019, until Saturday May 4, 2019. More info: www.lyceum.org.uk
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