Trainspotting was an iconic film when it was released in 1996 and remains so today, but now it’s been turned into a musical
I was a mere teenager when Danny Boyle’s 1996 film Trainspotting – a gut wrenching exploration of heroin addiction and post-industrial apathy – exploded onto our screens. And the cultural impact it had at the time was nothing less than a bomb going off.
It captured the zeitgeist of the moment, and Ewan McGregor’s career-launching turn as Renton – from that psychedelic toilet scene to hallucinating dead babies as he tries to get off the gear – are emblazoned in many a teen’s mind to this day. Even the soundtrack was iconic – I still return to it on occasion.
Now, such relentlessly dark material might seem like a totally crazy source material to make a musical out of, thirty years later, But the author of the groundbreaking 1993 novel, Leith’s own Irvine Welsh, has done just. And bar a few hiccups, for the most part, it works.
Welsh’s adaptation has musical nods to the film, with airings of tracks such as Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life, but also new songs co-written with Stephen McGuinness (cowboy hats off to the country and western ditty, ***** Run the Country, accompanied by a line-dancing routine from the company), as well as airings of old Britpop-era classics including Bitter Sweet Symphony, Mad World, and Perfect Day.
For me, it was a delicious shot in the arm of pure 90s nostalgia (except I didn’t hear Born Slippy – what happened there, people!) – from the clothes, to the sounds to the equally hilarious and heartrending journeys of a group of friends from Leith, caught up in mass unemployment, a sense of hopelessness and the inevitable pull of ‘scag’ to escape it all.
Yes, it can jar to see so many grim, drawn-out scenes of drug-taking, accompanied by jaunty songs about having the ‘munchies, but it still packed a powerful punch.
Lewis Kidd had a good shot at Renton, but special mentions must go to Kieran Andrew’s Spud, who was enthralling with his neverending ticks and wild, stream of conscious monologues. And Rosie Dignan as the tragic Alison, whose baby dies while she’s shooting up.
It’s raw, nostalgic, funny and, at times, genuinely heartbreaking. Despite the criticism it’s received, I’m going against the grain and saying this was a powerful, brave production. Paying audiences are going to love it and isn’t that, ultimately, what it’s all about?
The warm standing ovation the cast received at the end was an indication that I wasn’t the only one to feel that way either.
The cast deserves enormous credit. Taking on beloved characters such as Renton, psychotic pal Begby and drug-aggled Spud in a new version with (gasp) songs too, was never going to be a walk in the park.
Every single actor threw themselves into their roles with an energy and commitment that was just infectious. They brought humour, vulnerability and authenticity, creating characters you laughed with one moment and were utterly broken for the next.
Renton and Co. were both reminiscent of the legendary characters in Danny Boyle’s classic film, but also managed to breathe a whole new life into an enduring cult classic. And sadly, tales of unemployment and drug addiction ruining entire families are hardly obsolete in modern Britain.
Trainspotting the Musical is at Theatre Royal Haymarket until 5 September. Book at https://trainspottingthemusical.co.uk.
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
