After the hype behind the 1998 concept album for “Whistle Down The Wind” and the subsequent number one success for Boyzone with ‘No Matter What’, Geoff and I went to see the original London production in 1999. We then managed to see the first UK tour in Glasgow in 2001 and Edinburgh Festival Theatre 2002. I was therefore delighted to see it returning to Edinburgh.

Bill Kenwright’s production is slightly adapted from the original but other than that, and a new cast, it is still the fabulous show I remember.

Taken from the Mary Hayley Bell book and 1961 film starring Alan Bates and Hayley Mills, it tells how a group of children take their innocent belief in goodness and the faith that had been drummed in to them every Sunday that step further.

Deep in America’s bible belt, fast approaching Christmas a small town is reeling from the death of one of their daughters. Already coping with poverty, bigotry, racism and an escaped murderer in the area the adults’ unrest affects the children in unexpected ways.  

Jonathan Ansell

Carly Bawden

Swallow (Carly Bawden) finds an injured man in her family barn. When asked who he is, The Man (Jonathan Ansell) is so ill all he can say is the profanity ‘Jesus Christ’. In her innocence Swallow takes his word as gospel. Her younger sister Brat (Charlotte Oldroyd) follows her lead believes in him implicitly. Their brother Poor Baby (Josh Simpson) has his doubts, but his older siblings quash these.

Numbed by the recent death of his wife, their father Boone (Lincoln Stone) is not as aware of the changes in his children as he normally would be. Remembering the words of their mother, Boone starts to sing ‘Whistle Down The Wind’ breaking down unable to go on Swallow takes up the refrain and the gorgeous poignant words wash over the theatre to rapturous applause.

Lincolin Stone

Carl Stallwood

Meanwhile young teenager Amos (Carl Stallwood) is torn between his black girlfriend Candy (Scarlette Douglas), his hate for the town and his thoughts and desires for Swallow. His plans for escape with Candy are vocalised in the number ‘Tire Tracks’ but are abandoned when Swallow asks for his help.

Town boy Earl (Stuart Armfield) is jealous of Amos and through sneaking around discovers Swallows secret and passes it on to Candy, who in turn tells the whole town at a Revivalist meeting.This leads to a ‘witch hunt’ and the biggest Christmas bonfire ever.

C Gerod Harris as Edward is Boone’s farm-hand and closest friend, despite his colour. Gerod’s duet ‘Cold’ with Sam (Ezra Tafari), in the local bar is one of my highlights. The two voices blend beautifully and when it turns in to an ensemble number their voices soar above the rest. Aaron Shirley reprises his roles as the Sheriff, struggling to keep the peace, yet abide by state laws. We see two opposing faces of religion through Kieran Snell as the local Preacher demonstrated through the song ‘Keys to the Vaults of Heaven’ and Leigh Jones as the Snake Preacher performing ‘Wrestle With the Devil’.

Other members of the cast are Micaelia Baptiste, Natalie Blenford, David Burlin, Susie Griffin, Thomas Harvey, Sarah McNicholas, Oliver Taheri and Anthony Wren. Toby Smith and Alicia Kemp share the parts of Poor Baby and Brat.

The band, under the musical direction of Tom De Keyser are Matthew Loughran, Jeremy Wootton, Martyn Stringer, Steve Foster, Andy Lovell, Michael Bailey, Frank Dawkins and Adam Rhys Davies. Not named in the programme is the choir of local children who virtually steal the show on several occasions,during ‘Long Overdue’, ‘The Tribe’ and ‘No Matter What’.

Jonathan Ansell came to the public notice through one of the numerous TV talent shows as part of the hugely popular G4. As ‘The Man’ his operatic voice projects to all corners of the theatre. His solos ‘Soliloquy’, ‘So Many Cries’ and ‘Try Not To Be Afraid’ are superb, but it is in his duets with Carly Bawden as Swallow that the two voices excel, ‘If Only’, ‘Try Not To Be Afraid’ and ‘Nature Of The Beast’.

My particular favourite scenes in the show start with the duet  ‘Try Not To Be Afraid’, through Amos’s ‘Let’s Make A Promise’ with the three way ‘A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste’, finishing with ‘Tire Tracks’ reprise between Amos and Swallow.

For me this show is not seen enough and I would love to go back and see it again but it is only in Edinburgh for one week but I might try to get through to see it in Glasgow. For further dates go to www.kenwright.co.uk