No Love Songs - Glasgow Tron Theatre 2024
Songs by Kyle Falconer | Book by Laura Wilde and Johnny McKnight
Presented by Dundee Rep Theatre | Directed by Andrew Panton and Tashi Gore
Tron Theatre, Glasgow | 24 October 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Following previews at Dundee Rep and a world premier at Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre in 2023 at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, No Love Songs has been on a journey that includes dates at Brighton Fringe and most recently an international stint in Connecticut. Now returning home to Scotland, No Love Songs is this week playing to Glasgow audiences for the first time ahead of opening off-Broadway next year.
Inspired by the real-life experiences of Kyle Falconer from Scottish rock band The View and partner Laura Wilde, the songs for this gig-theatre story are taken from Kyle’s solo album 'No Love Songs for Laura.' The musical follows two new parents Lana (Anna Russell-Martin) and Jessie (John McLarnon) from their initial meeting in a Dundee nightclub through the challenges of parenthood and the fallout from postnatal depression.
Written by Laura Wilde and Johnny McKnight, the book for No Love Songs is excellent. Full of energy, laughter and music, the story takes the audience on a rollercoaster journey through the highs and lows of a young couple's turbulent relationship. The heart of the story focuses on the devastating impact of postnatal depression. It's tough to sit through at times, so authentic, powerful and raw are the performances. But it's done so very well.
The script is full of relatable Scottish humour and sarcasm as the young couple get to know each other, but as we are plunged into the darkness of Lana's mental health struggles, the music stills, the tone shifts and the laughter gives way to tears. It's expertly conceived.
The music is great. The pre-written songs from Kyle's second solo album are reimagined for the stage here and don't at all feel like they've been shoehorned in. Rather, they are central to the narrative, and every one of them is played exquisitely by McLarnon and on-stage Musical Director Gavin Whitworth. The overall vibe is indie-rock, but Whitworth's haunting piano underscores the entire show. As with Dundee Rep's recent smash-hit A History of Paper his skillful playing and thoughtful arrangements are the backbone of the production.
Anna Russell-Martin and John McLarnon are both outstanding in their roles as the young couple. McLarnon is a believable troubled musician with a powerful, smooth voice that brings the thumping rock songs and beautiful ballads alive. Russell-Martin is superb; expertly morphing from an excited, lively, free spirit to a struggling young-mum. Both performances are sympathetic and potent - Jessie and Lana's story will be crushingly relatable to many in the audience.
No Love Songs is a heartfelt piece of music theatre that expertly blends together music, tears and laughter to deliver 75 minutes of gig-theatre that gives a platform to a subject that often lacks one. Post-natal depression is a difficult subject for any production to tackle, but Laura Wilde and the team at Dundee Rep handle it sensitively here, whilst successfully wrapping it into a piece of dramatic yet thoroughly entertaining theatre.
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No Love Songs is at
📍Tron Theatre, Glasgow from Thursday 24 - Saturday 26 October 2024
📍Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from Thursday 31 October - Saturday 2 November 202
No Love Songs 2024 cast & creatives
CAST
Lana Anna Russell-Martin
Jessie John McLarnon
CREATIVE TEAM
From an original idea by Kyle Falconer and Laura Wilde
Songs by Kyle Falconer
Book by Laura Wilde and Johnny McKnight
Directed by Andrew Panton and Tashi Gore
Musical Direction & Arrangements by Gavin Whitworth
Lighting Designer Grant Anderson
Sound Designer Ritchie Young
Stage Manager Owen Thomas
Set Design Stylist Leila Kalbassi
Costume Design Stylist Cate Mackie
📸 production photos: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
No Love Songs review, Tron Theatre Glasgow 2024. Kyle Falconer, Laura Wilde, Johnny McKnight
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🎟️ Disclosure: I was invited to review this show and received a complimentary ticket in exchange. Neither the venue nor show has a say in what I write. I'm completely independent and invites have no impact on my analysis or star ratings.
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