The 1985 Scottish film, Restless Natives, that made the masked motorbike riding characters of two Edinburgh teenagers, The Clown and the Wolfman local heroes, is getting a new lease of life later this year in the form of a stage musical.
Fittingly, the new version will be staged at Leith Theatre where it will kick off a three-month summer programme of theatre, music and film co-commissioned by Restless Natives’ producers, Andy Paterson and Wild Yak Productions, and the Leith Theatre Trust team.
This curated collaboration will offer a rare chance for folk to enter the faded grandeur of a theatre that has remained largely as it was since opening in 1932 and being able to welcome audiences back into the venue is a significant milestone for Leith Theatre. This pop-up summer season will be a unique opportunity for audiences to have a glimpse of the theatre’s future as well as supporting Leith Theatre’s preservation while it continues on its journey towards restoration.
Original Restless Natives screenwriter and now lyricist, Ninian Dunnett; director Michael Hoffman and composer Tim Sutton will open the season by delivering a full stage musical inspired by Big Country songs and themes, designed to delight devotees of the original movie and charm a new generation.
A quirky sense of national pride is built as intrepid underdogs Ronnie and Will become Highland Highwaymen, holding up buses and winning international renown, fleecing tourists with panache, with all the offbeat fun coming to Leith Theatre’s stage in June 2025.
Although the Trust have operated on a pop-up basis in the past bringing a wide range of cultural activity, the creative focus has more recently been within the TV and film industry hosting a large number of shoots and productions. This will be the first theatre production to make Leith Theatre its home since 2018.
Restless Natives producer Andy Paterson said “We are so inspired by the Trust’s vision for this incredible building. Our memories of shooting key scenes from the film just a few hundred yards away on the Western Harbour make this new partnership all the more special. We can’t wait to bring the Clown and the Wolfman back to their actual and spiritual home in Edinburgh.”
Andy Paterson, who was one of the producers of the film and lead producer on Restless Natives: The Musical said “The moment we walked into Leith Theatre we had a feeling that we’d come home. The unique atmosphere and personality of the venue chimed with Ninian’s story. Both embody the resilience, the spirit of Scottish community, a sense of perseverance and solidarity – and the belief that with the right values and serious ambition, you can make something great.”
The producers of Restless Natives: The Musical and the team at Leith Theatre are actively seeking additional programming for the venue’s iconic spaces from June through the end of the Edinburgh Festival in August. Both the Main Auditorium (1,600 seats) and the more intimate Thomas Morton Hall (180 seats) have availability. Interest is invited from artists and organisations working within a wide range of creative and cultural artforms.
For summer programming opportunities in this historic and vibrant setting, email summer@leiththeatre.co.uk
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 