Glasgow Kiss
Written by Davie Carswell
Directed by Ruairidh Forde
Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow (premier)
30 September 2024
⭐⭐⭐
Glasgow Kiss is a new musical that features songs by artists from in and around Glasgow. It's jam-packed with incredible music from the likes of Primal Scream, Simple Minds, Franz Ferdinand, Deacon Blue and Biffy Clyro. Some of the best songs from the biggest bands of all time have their roots in Scotland - it's high time someone wrote a musical around them.
That someone is Davie Carswell, award winning writer and producer from Gourock known for theatre hits 'Porno' and 'The Tommy Burns Story.' Carswell's love and knowledge of the Glasgow music scene is evident in 'Glasgow Kiss' - he has admirably crammed as many hits as possible into a 2 hour stage production. The rock-led soundtrack showcases bands and artists from the 1980's through to the present day. But I'm not going to list any more of them... the joy and surprise of hearing the first few bars of a long forgotten anthem is much of the charm of 'Glasgow Kiss'.
'Glasgow Kiss' is of course a jukebox musical and the songs are undeniably shoehorned in. Most of them are signposted a mile off, but it's a fun game to guess which song is coming up next. The roars of delight that went up from the crowd when it clicked which song was imminent confirms that the Pavilion Theatre was filled with knowledgeable Scottish music fans for opening night.
Some of the musical arrangements and performances did tend towards karaoke at times, especially early in the story. But this production does not take itself too seriously, and to its credit, it runs with that. Karaoke in the local pub becomes a recurring theme (and highlight!) of the show. The Karaoke is hosted by the wonderful Andrew Agnew as Tony and his drag alter-ego Mary Hill who appears in a succession of more and more striking sparkly outfits. Agnew's voice is one of the strongest of the night, and his charming humour and genuine rapport with the audience is delightful.
The story that runs alongside the music is one of family and of life, loss and love. Stephen Arden is a captivating leading man who had us all rooting for him from the start, and James McAnerney provides many of the laughs as a Glaswegian everyman trying his best with the ladies. 'Glasgow Kiss' is full of laughter, as well as more sombre moments, but music underpins it all.
The company is full of incredible singers, with Jennifer Neil, Lorraine Graham, Pamela Byrne and Valissa Scott giving particularly strong performances. There were a few occasions when other musical numbers were a little off key or voices sounded strained. Coupled with sound and mic issues that distracted in act 1, Glasgow Kiss, much like Glasgow itself, is a bit rough around the edges.
Despite its flaws 'Glasgow Kiss' is a wonderfully fun, entertaining night out and there's no doubt it will lift the roof off the Glasgow Pavilion Theatre every night this week. Seeing places we all know and love represented on stage is always a thrill. From the tranquil Botanic Gardens to the iconic Barrowland Ballroom, 'Glasgow Kiss' will appeal to anyone who knows and loves Glasgow. But the beating heart of the show is unquestionably the music. It's remarkable how many magnificent songs and artists have come out of Glasgow, and 'Glasgow Kiss' is a celebration of just some of them. It's a must-see for any Scottish music fan.
⭐⭐⭐
Glasgow Kiss plays at the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow from Mon 30 September to Sat 5 October 2024.
⚠️ It's set in Glasgow - it contains a lot of swearing!
Glasgow Kiss Cast
Andrew Agnew, Ellen Jackson, James McAnerney, Jennifer Neil, Kieran McIntosh, Kieran Begley, Lorraine Graham, Pamela Byrne, Stephen Arden, Valissa Scott.
Glasgow Kiss review, Glaswegian musical, Glasgow music, Simple Minds, Pavilion Theatre Glasgow, 2024.
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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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