Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)
Choose erm…
Trainspotting is one of my favourite novels. The film sits in my all-time top ten. I wanted this to work far more than I expected.
And there’s no shortage of talent on stage. The cast absolutely commit, the energy never drops and there are moments when you catch a glimpse of the raw humanity that made Irvine Welsh’s story such a phenomenon.
Unfortunately, it just never really catches fire and even the songs borrowed from the film soundtrack only serve to make you remember how much better that is...
Yeah the music. Trainspotting has always had music pumping through its veins, from Welsh’s writing to Boyle’s legendary soundtrack. Here though, the original songs rarely land and even the cover versions feel oddly like karaoke; competent, enthusiastic even, but never dangerous or memorable.
Maybe that’s what I missed most: the sense of danger.
The book feels like the best punch in the mouth you'll ever get. The film practically vibrates with reckless ‘90s energy and even T2: Trainspotting is poignant and heartbreaking as it pours over 'what might have been'.
This production is much more polite than either. It wants to move you, but too often stops to explain itself when the story was always powerful enough to do that alone.
The best bits here are when the cast are not singing - which is a problem when it's a musical...
I genuinely admire everyone involved. There’s a huge amount of work, talent and heart on that stage. I just came away wishing they’d trusted Welsh’s story a little more… and the songs a little less.
Choose life?
I’m still choosing the novel & film…
Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:
(2 - lacking a lust for life...)
Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...
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