A travel writer returns to Scotland after twenty years travelling the world. But why does he want to re-form his band that split in 1983? Is there more to it than a deep-rooted desire to play a couple of Duran Duran covers at St Johns Parish Hall?
Neil Stevenson used to be a member of a band in the 1980s but gave it up to become a travel writer. Since then he has been travelling around Europe and writing books, rarely returning to Scotland. With his 40th birthday coming up, he returns home and decides to re-form the band so that it can play at his birthday party. The other members of the band are still living and working in their home town but are not all as keen as Neil on returning to their youth. What is Neils real motive?
The small cast of five perform well. David Lawrie, as Neil, looks as though he could have been in a band, apart from not looking dissipated enough. Rab Cunningham plays Stevie, an ageing Lothario, with an appropriate lack of embarrassment. Alison Bell is realistic as Jan, another former band member but now a tired, middle-aged mother and Seonaid Ballantyne plays her daughter, Gemma.
Much of the comedy in the play is provided by Allan Walker as Tony, a gay clothes designer. This may be a cliché but it gives him the opportunity to be as camp as he likes, an opportunity he grabs with both hands. He is always the centre of attention whenever he is on the stage, particularly when he is trying to decide on his band costume, the best probably being the skin tight red satin shirt and shorts!
This is a well-written play which keeps the audience guessing until the end. Well worth seeing.
