Wild Rose, 
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

I WASN’T sure what to expect with Wild Rose: all I knew was that it was something to do with Country and Western music. Sorry, Country Music (I’ve learned my lesson). 

This show was a Bafta-nominated film in 2018 starring Jessie Buckley as the titular Rose-Lynn and had its world premiere on stage at the Lyceum in Edinburgh. It’s a juke-box musical about a single mother, just released from prison, trying to get back to her life but also add a bit of musical sparkle to it along the way. 

The book is by Nicole Taylor who most recently adapted the Netflix series One Day to grand acclaim. It has a funny, poignant and gripping script; a script dripping with cheeky Scottish humour and dialect. Through a lens of overtly moving criticism we look at the themes of life after prison, the criminal justice system, and how opportunities do and do not present themselves to you, and are based on chance happenings such as the class into which you were born.

The show opens on Rose-Lynn’s last day in a Glaswegian jail. Her final moments are accompanied by rowdy number, “Country Girl,” originally by Glasgow band, Primal Scream. From this moment on you are in for a treat. The energy of the cast members is infectious. The vocals by Dawn Sievewright playing our rambunctious and untamed main character are brilliant. It’s no wonder Rose-Lynn knows she could be a star if only the right people heard her sing. 

Once Rose-Lynn is out of jail there are several things she is required to do: find a job in spite of her criminal record, get her relationship back with her children who haven’t seen her for a year, and return to what she loves the most: singing with her band at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry. Her sights are set higher still: she is desperate to go to Nashville to try to make it there. All these choices and responsibilities come together. What should Rose-Lynn do when it comes to choosing between her life as a mother and the opportunities of fame? 

The plot is a tiny bit predictable in places, and it suffers from a very slightly rushed feeling towards the end. But who cares? It’s a really enjoyable show with a great cast. In fact, special kudos to Lily Ferguson and Alfie Campbell who played Rose-Lynn’s children the night I went. Their comic timing, their pathos and portrayal of the trauma of children who have a parent who goes to prison were second to none. 

Go and see this show if it’s on nearby. You’ll have a great time and end up listening to the soundtrack on the way home like I did. 

Runs until April 19. Box office: 0131 248 4848, lyceum.org.uk