Crowd-pleasing riff on a Scottish classic, but Kidnapped – a swashbuckling rom-com adventure strays too close to ‘Carry On’, and too far from Stevenson.
📍 Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
📅 11 April 2023 to 22 April 2023
🕖 Evenings, 7.30pm | Matinee, Sat 2.30pm
🕖 Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (with 20 minutes interval)
🎬 Director: Isobel McArthur and Gareth Nicholls
🖊️ Co-creator, composer and Music Supervisor: Michael John McCarthy
📹 Video Designer: Tim Reid
⚒️ Set & Costume Designer: Anna Orton
💡 Lighting Designer: Ben Ormerod
🔊 Sound Designer: Clare Hibberd
🎬 Associate Director: Isla Cowan
🩰 Movement Director: Emily Jane Boyle
💬 Gaelic Consultant: Alasdair Whyte
🖌️ Illustrator: Zofia Chamienia
📊 Onstage Graphics: Yesdy
🎂 12+
🎭 Wheelchair Accessible Venue, Wheelchair Accessible Toilets, Audio Induction Loop
🎭 BSL Interpreted: Wednesday 19 April, 7:30pm; Audio Described & Touch Tour: Thursday 20 April, 7:30pm – Touch Tour starts at 6:15pm
🎭 Captioned, Audio Descibed & Touch Tour: Saturday 22 April, 2:30pm – Touch Tour starts at 1:15pm.
Theatrical enfant incredible Isobel McArthur and Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) musical co-conspirator Michael John McCarthy look to strike stage gold with another adaptation of a classic novel. This time it’s Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1893 story of Scottish daring-do, Kidnapped up for an all-singing, lightly comedic update. Strap-lined ‘a swashbuckling rom-com adventure’ the intent to diverge further from the originating story than *sort of is evident from the get go. After all, there’s no hint of romance in Stevenson’s story, though there is an abundance of swashing buckles.
That said the framework of the original work remains, young adult David Balfour (Ryan J Mackay), recently orphaned finds himself delivered into the un-tender care of his uncle Ebeneezer. Said Uncle promptly has David kidnapped by pirates to avoid ponying up the family inheritance. Chance brings their vessel into the path of one Alan Breck Stewart (Malcolm Cumming), swordsman and soldier in service to the court of the exiled Stewart Kings. Together, the two escape into the highland wilds of Scotland, pursuing justice for David, and an escape back to France for Alan.
However this staging is less an adaptation, and more a modern parody of the original book. In place of an adventure wrapped in notions of justice, honour, and Highland culture, this is a comedy romance with a side-order of low-stakes daring-do. That central liaison is to be found between David and Alan, the former having his age advanced from 16 to 19, to avoid some obvious problems.
There’s much to commend in this National Theatre of Scotland production, not least the introduction of a country-singing Kim Ismay as Stevenson’s wife (and widow) Frances. Indeed her chorus-esque interjections tying her love story with Robert to that of his fictional creations are a continuing highlight. Touching, fascinating, and entertaining, this tour de force from Ismay begs its own, stand-alone play.
Further, Mackay and Cumming certainly give their all, the former something of a clown to the latter’s silver-shoed buccaneer. The script doesn’t really give them much in the way of character arcs. Those teachable moments which persist are hard to take seriously amidst the sea of banter and bungling supporting characters. However there’s no questioning Cumming’s abundant stage presence, or his joy in the role. Indeed, the entire cast prove a multi-talented band of actor-musicians, never knowingly leaving any piece of scenery unchewed.
The musical numbers, largely plucked from the great Western USA Songbook are also competently delivered at apt moments including a delightfully re-worked ‘Ive been Everywhere’ to name-check Dundee amongst other locales closer to home. Anna Orton’s set offers plenty of fun, conjuring a ship’s deck, and the ‘great’ boulder of Essendean with an elegantly simple array of props and holiday post-card background hangings.
Unfortunately whilst there’s plenty of chuckles in the script, including a particularly wonderful joke concerning Jacobites and gluten intolerance, it’s a variable feast. Whilst the writing for worldly-wise lawyer Rankeillor is wonderfully dry, and Ismay’s monologues are a constant delight, much of the rest might best be described as ‘Carry On Kidnapped’. From a lampooned James of the Glens, to incompetent clansmen betrayers, and a Jerry Lewis worthy sequence on the pirate ship, there’s not the least hint of peril.
Further, despite a healthy nod to Gaelic inclusion, what Scottish culture pervades the plaid wearers on stage is lost somewhere between shortbread tin and tartan-tat. Narratively, the pace is wildly variable, minor scenes and characters expanded in search of fun, so that the intermission falls at a juncture no place near the story’s midpoint. There follows an utterly bizarre Disney-esque under sea scene to kick off the second act, before a pretty madcap race to a rather muddled, and to my mind, excessively happy, tidy ending.
Now it must be said that there were plenty in the audience when I visited who felt very differently about the play judging by some loud cheers come curtain call. Indeed in isolation this is a lovingly produced, often witty, musical romantic adventure. It’s laced with McArthur’s irreverent instinct for the absurd, and crowd pleasing sensibility. However so much is left between the covers of Stevenson’s book, that Kidnapped – a swashbuckling rom-com feels is awfully thin gruel when judged as an adaptation.
Kidnapped – A swashbuckling rom-com adventure plays the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh from 11 April 2023 to 22 April 2023. It is a a National Theatre of Scotland production supported by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown & Chris Grace Hartness.
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