A MUSICAL based on their own experiences, including postnatal depression, has been written by The View’s Kyle Falconer and partner Laura Wilde.
The new piece of gig theatre features songs from Falconer’s hit second album No Love Songs For Laura and details of how they have had to learn to navigate their lives as new parents.
Falconer, whose past wild exploits frequently made the headlines, told the Sunday National that his family had “saved his life”.
“I think that was what was missing from my life for years – I was just a mess and partying all the time as I had no place to go and no purpose in life. I was just waiting for the next tour,” said Falconer. “I lost my parents when I was younger, I didn’t have anyone to answer to and no-one to help or protect, but now I have my kids so everything makes sense.”
He added that the musical, which will be given a first run at Dundee Rep’s festival of new work this week, was one of the best pieces of work he had ever produced.
“It feels good. I was brought up on musicals and I’m a massive musical fan so to do something like this is mega,” said Falconer.
“I’ve been to every country in the world, played every stage but to do this is the best thing I have ever done and to be able to do it with the love of my life is f***ing outstanding. It is pretty cool.
“It shows how mothers feel but also how postnatal depression affects everyone. I think loads of people will really connect with it. In rehearsals everyone is in tears because it is so emotional.”
No Love Songs For Laura, written by Wilde and Falconer with River City writer Johnny McKnight, is not all doom and gloom however.
“It is funny in places and it is not going to make everyone sad,” said Falconer. “It is emotional for me watching it because it is like our life getting played out. Some of the stuff is exaggerated to make a better story but it is still real and true to the heart.”
THE show originated during the pandemic, which saw the family leaving Los Angeles to return to Scotland where they had to rent somewhere to live because they had sold their house to go to the States.
“We had to leave as it was like Armageddon – guns were selling out and we felt unsafe and just wanted to come home,” Falconer said.
The couple now have three children, aged five, three, and six months, with Wilde suffering from postnatal depression after the birth of the eldest two.
“I was aware she was acting differently but I didn’t know what it was,” Falconer said. “She did not really tell me until after because she didn’t want to speak to anyone about it. I think women often feel ashamed, but it is totally normal, and we should talk about it.”
It was after Falconer recorded his album that he suggested to Wilde, a writer, that they should do something more with it.
“I got in touch with Ford Kiernan from Still Game, who is a friend of mine, and he came through to Dundee and gave me some advice. He said to get in touch with Andrew Panton from Dundee Rep [Theatre] and Johnny McKnight who writes for River City and is really cool.
“Laura wrote the story based on what has happened in my life and all the songs were about what was happening in my life at the time, which was pretty stressful because it was when we moved to America then had to come back. We thought ‘let’s just be honest’. Andrew had a tear in his eye when I first showed him it – he said it was really striking. The music fits perfectly with it.”
The musical will be given its first outing during Dundee Rep’s Rep Stripped Festival, which is running from June 1-4, and then it is hoped it will go into full production. It stars Dawn Sievewright and John McLarnon.
“No Love Songs is a hugely exciting piece for us to be developing,” said artistic director Andrew Panton. “Laura, Kyle and I first spoke about the idea around a year ago and we’ve been working on it since.
“Exploring the themes of modern parenting and postnatal depression in a music theatre form, inspired by Kyle and Laura’s lived experience, has been incredibly exciting and moving. We’re all looking forward to sharing some of the show in its embryonic form with Rep Stripped audiences so we can hear their response to the work.”
www.dundeerep.co.uk/rep-stripped
