This world premiere of Wild Rose, a New Musical is adapted from the multi-award winning 2018 film, written by Nicole Taylor who drafted the original story in 2008: ‘Country music is my passion. Rose-Lynn roared into my mind, chatting away and singing, a weird Glaswegian girl in Western gear – I just knew it was both a film and a musical.’
Now, her free spirited, feisty heroine with raw musical talent, bursts from the big screen on to the musical stage with boisterous, foot-tapping rhythm.
Scene one, Nashville, Music City. A drumroll welcome as the presenter announces the next star turn is Rose-Lynn Harlan from Glasgow. But suddenly, the lights fade and with a flash we are whisked to HMP Corton Vale, Stirling where a group of women is in ebullient mood. Rose-Lynn is due for release and they rally round, encouraging her to follow her dream to be a singer, as she gives a raunchy rendition of Primal Scream’s ‘Country Girl’ - ‘I am worn. I have stole, I have sinned, Oh, my soul is unclean Country girl, got to keep on keeping on, hey’.
Out of prison and back home, the reality of her life hits hard. Her two children seem quite content being cared for by Granny Marion and find it difficult to reconnect with their ex-con Mum. She hopes to be offered gigs at the Grand Ole Opry where she has performed since she was 14 but evening work is impossible as she has an electronic curfew tag on her ankle. Instead, she takes a job as a cleaner for Susannah - middle-class, professional, wealthy; her comfortable social position rubs Rose-Lynn up the wrong way, stealing vodka shots from the designer kitchen bar and rudely requesting financial help to travel to Nashville.
From the word go, Dawn Sievewright captures the crazy, charismatic personality of wild Rose, through shifting mood swings from wisecracking confidence and soulful self-doubt - when did a Country singer ever come from Glasgow?
With an eight-piece band, the show is a blend of Juke box musical and a play with songs. The soundtrack of a dozen numbers flows from the disco beat of Dolly Parton’s Baby I'm Burning, Caitlyn Smith's melancholic Tacoma to Chris Stapleton’s Outlaw State of Mind, the lyrics carrying the narrative along. The mantra, ‘three chords and the truth,’ tattooed on Rose-Lynn’s arm illustrates how these classic songs on love, loss, tears and tainted dreams reflect her own experience; Celtic music, after all, is the root, heart and soul of Country – poignant, bittersweet songs with bite and truth.
Light-hearted humour too with witty one liners, gritty Glaswegian humour and an hilarious scene when Rose turns a train trip from Glasgow to London into a hard-drinking party, despite an important BBC audition in a few hours.
The theatrical heart of the show takes us on her topsy turvy journey, desperate, like many women, to have-it-all, the struggle to juggle motherhood and personal ambition. Marion’s dour, downtrodden demeanour gradually softens when she understands her daughter’s true talent: ‘I just wanted you to take responsibility but I didn’t mean to take away your hope.’ As a loving lullaby to Rose-Lynn and her grandchildren, Peace in this House is a spine tingling, show stopper by Blythe Duff.
There's no shortage of musicals on this familiar theme – A Star is Born, 42nd Street, Chicago, Chorus Line, Dreamgirls. The dramatic arc of the show has the predictable plot points which aim to push the sentimental button but with Rose-Lynn’s selfish, ungrateful, rebellious behaviour, it’s often difficult to feel much empathy.
The set and video design move the smoothly directed action with quick changing scenes as the ensemble sparkle with both glittering sequins and energy, through slickly choreographed, cowboy-booted dance routines.
Centre stage throughout is the effervescent Dawn Sievewright whose powerful, passionate performance packs an emotional punch. A musical theatre star is born. Wild Rose is about realising that to find your own dream you first have to find your own voice, as she follows the yellow brick road from Glasgow to Nashville and back to Scotland again.
‘Aint no place like home’.
Showtimes:
5 March – 19 April, 2025
Evenings, 7.30pm. Matinee, Tues & Sat, 2.30pm,
Tickets from £25 (concessions, group bookings)
https://lyceum.org.uk/events/wild-rose#dates-and-times