It may have been a cold and drizzly night, but inside Aberdeen Arts Centre things were Hot, Hot, Hot! on opening night of the Scout Gang Show.
This annual event sees a cast of cubs, scouts, explorers and leaders take to the stage for a variety-style performance of song, dance and comedy sketches.
From curtain up to close, the energy was palpable among this talented ensemble of more than 50 people who approached every note and step with gusto.
Goodness knows what notes director Sonja Rasmussen gave the cast in the months of rehearsal, but on the night, everyone from the youngest cub to the seasoned leader committed fully to every moment of their performance.
This was especially evident during the large crowd scenes, when even those people five rows back remained animated and focused while keeping a connection with the audience.
At one point the full cast played a press pack of journalists, and every character seemed to have thought of something different to do.
Some were clicking cameras, some scribbling in their notebooks, others holding out a microphone or raising their pens aloft to ask a question.
This studied attention to detail along with beautiful, well-made costumes as well as an interesting stage set combined to deliver a rich and immersive spectacle.
Gang Show takes audience on a journey around the world
A professional and polished production, this year’s Aberdeen Gang Show featured a large screen as a backdrop, which changed continually according to the scene.
The result was effective and evocative as the audience was taken on a journey to places including New York, Hogwarts, an aeroplane cabin, a beauty salon, a kitchen and a coffee shop.
A newsroom and television news studio also featured as you might expect from a show entitled Read All About It!
Particularly amusing was the weather report given in Doric.
You winna see Dyce fer ice and in Strachan you can’t see where you’re gahn, was the weather lady’s advice.
The theme explored the world of reading and tied in with this year’s chosen charity, Books Abroad, which helps educate children worldwide by sending free school books.
Gang Show takes inspiration from World Book Day
The sketches covered such diverse reading materials as recipe books (hence the kitchen), The Racing Post, Sherlock Holmes and travel brochures, and there was also a coffee shop writer and several nods to World Book Day.
This gave the show scope to include a host of characters, including a cook, a king, a wedding party, Harry Potter favourites, flamenco dancers, a pearly queen, Paddington Bear and airline crew to name but a few.
Similarly, the music ranged from songs by The Beatles and Emeli Sande, to west end musicals, 80s pop, the movies, Elvis and much-loved chart hits.
If you imagine taking a stonking playlist, then adding in a host of colourful characters while they sing, dance and tell jokes, that’s the Gang Show.
Special musical moments included There’s A Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis; Breakfast at Tiffany’s to acoustic guitar, and an excellent rendition You’ll Be Back from the musical Hamilton.
The top notch house band, consisting of drums, piano and keyboard sounded like an orchestra 10 times the size.
The cast also played some instruments, including guitar, and the bagpipes for a particularly rousing Scottish segment.
All in all Aberdeen Gang Show is a blast and if anyone is looking for a way to shake off the last of these drizzly, dark evenings, this is it.
Aberdeen Scout Gang Show runs until Saturday March 16 at Aberdeen Arts Centre.
Tickets are available from www.aberdeenartscentre.com
Audiences should bring a book. Books Abroad are collecting children’s books and textbooks for schools overseas at every performance.
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