Turns out the qualities that made Runrig one of Scotland’s biggest bands are also a perfect match for the musical. The heart-on-sleeve passions, the windswept romance and the wistful longing for the land that characterised the folk-rock outfit’s 45-year career before their split in 2018 are well suited to a form that thrives on broad gestures and emotional directness.
Better still, where Rory and Calum Macdonald’s music could be bombastic on record, it becomes nuanced and sweetly melodic on stage. Under the musical direction of John Kielty, we are reminded that even the forthright beat of the title track’s chorus is offset by verses that are subtle and tender, slipping in and out of Gaelic as they draw on folk tradition. The closing duet on Somewhere, from Runrig’s final album, could be a Broadway ballad, albeit with an uncommonly poetic flourish.
