Anstruther & District Amateur Musical Society (ADAMS) is rocking the foundations with the musical Rock Of Ages.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
Bowhouse, St Monans is the setting for some nostalgic rock music live on stage as ADAMS hosts that well-known musical which was nominated for five Tony Awards when it first opened. It all started back in a Los Angeles theatre in 2005 and then moved to Broadway a year later with over 2300 performances. This led to a movie in 2012 starring Tom Cruise and subsequent touring productions which came to Edinburgh Playhouse back in 2022. Officially licenced from Concord Theatricals, this local production pays homage to the same rock anthems as the original production.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
Set in 1980’s Hollywood, the party set is outrageous in this glam venue the Bourbon Room when Stacee Jaxx takes to stage. Watching on is Drew, the toilet cleaner with hopes of stardom and even more hopes of impressing the new girl Sherrie who has just arrived in Tinsel town fresh off the bus from Kansas. All plans and aspirations seem lost though as German property developers come into town with plans to tear down the venue to build a mall on the Sunset Strip. Can Drew and his mates save the venue before the last show as the developers are ready to move?
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
The songs are all-time 1980s rock greats with We Built This City, Here I Go Again, Can’t Fight This Feeling’, The Final Countdown and of course Party Central with the ubiquitous Don’t Stop Believing as made famous by Journey. When speaking to Musical Director Robert Nee for a radio interview, he noted he was excited to bring his assembled six-piece band together for such an iconic soundtrack. He also directs the show and that includes the band being on stage with the actors in an immersive experience. In the lead role of Drew is Ewan Archibald returning after 29 years to ADAMS having moved back to this area with work. His vocals live up to the expected rush of a rock star. At one time his sustained vocal won wild appreciation from the sold-out crowd.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
Rachel Nee plays Sherrie and returns after playing Yvonne in the 2021 production of Sunshine On Leith and has worked with Leven Operatic and St Andrews Operatic and was a previous President of the society. She has some challenging rock vocals to perform night after night with some big anthems to reproduce but wins through. Lonny is played by Neil Hutton and was also in Sunshine On Leith, Mitch Scott-Bell (Dennis Dupree) was in Made In Dagenham and in this role gets the audience onside breaking the fourth wall along the way. Jonathan Cammidge has the larger-than-life character of Stacee Jaxx, all supported by Janice Fyall and Keziah Scott-Bell. Stuart Barton and his son Archie Barton play the German developers with Archie showing great skills in his acting and fast movement on stage that defies belief while Stuart never breaks character in his officious role.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
Louise Andree Douglas-Mirza has choreographed the challenging dance staging on the big stage. Louise has worked on television and the West End and is a member of the Magic Circle. Managing such a large dancing group was impressive and with costume changes, this has to be applauded for the professionalism. Having a large ensemble on stage takes some inventive routines and Louise delivers on this.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
This is the 86th production for ADAMS and after two sold-out runs at the Byre Theatre, St Andrews, they returned to Bowhouse to convert the space into a custom theatre with the help of Apex Acoustics and a team of volunteers and members. With bubbly flowing, branded delicious biscuits and wonderful sounds as you sit cabaret fashion with tables this is a well-organised musical treat. Thirty radio headsets meant we could hear each line, each vocal and behind them a proficient rock band with twin guitars playing the songs of the 80’s generation. As an encore, we were treated to some duelling guitars to round off a jumpin’ evening in the East Neuk.
This show has been rated ☆☆☆☆
ADAMS presented Rock Of Ages which ran at Bowhouse, St Monans until the 26th of October.
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