Review: Brigadoon (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre)
- All That Dazzles
- Aug 12, 2025
- 6 min read
Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As the theatre world looks to Scotland this month for the bustling Edinburgh Festival Fringe, a bit of Scotland comes to London in the first major revival of Brigadoon seen here in over 35 years. Rounding off what has proven to be a strong and consistent season for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, would all be lost in this final production of the year, and Drew McOnie's first as Artistic Director, or would I witness a miracle on that stage?
First seen in 1947 and perhaps best known for its 1964 film adaptation starring Gene Kelly, Brigadoon sees World War 2 fighter pilots Tommy and Jeff crash land in the Highlands of Scotland and search for a way home. The only problem? The place they have landed doesn’t exist on the map. Arriving in the strange village of Brigadoon as the residents prepare for a wedding, they discover the truth behind the town’s mystery and the miracle that occurred there. With both men having very different experiences in their day there, they have to ask themselves whether they want to go back or if they have fallen in love with the place and the people there.
Written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, there is a real timelessness to this story, which feels oddly fitting given the truth behind the town and the time they find themselves in. Their classic story has been given a fresh adaptation by Rona Munro, bringing a refreshing mix of classic and contemporary, with both elements battling to create a rather unique combination - again, a reflection of the village of Brigadoon itself.
The plot may feel slightly thin at times and can come across messy throughout, particularly in the new, revised ending, which felt slightly hard to follow and perhaps could have used a bit of work. However, it is easy to forgive those shortcomings as you lose yourself in the whimsy of Brigadoon. At its heart, the show is full of heart, deeply romantic and joyous, though there are elements of sorrow and tragedy lurking beneath the surface. Ultimately, this is not a show designed to tax your brains too much - its goal is to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart, and that it does remarkably.
The picturesque Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre proves the perfect setting for this revival, allowing the audience to be transported into this magical world, with the setting of the Scottish Highlands allowing for one of the most beautiful integrations of the set I have ever witnessed at this theatre, with Basia Binkowska’s stunning design one of the strongest elements of this production. Previous productions, including Shucked and Fiddler On The Roof, used the setting of the park to their advantage, but Brigadoon has upped the ante, creating a seamless blend between their stage and the stunning setting they have at their disposal. Perhaps we took the setting a bit too literally on this particularly rainy press night, with an ultimate show stop needed to ensure the stage was safe. Credit to the stage management for handling this so speedily, with a bit of humour, and keeping the safety of everyone as their top priority. It might sound odd, but I found the miserable weather made the show all the more atmospheric and, dare I say, immersive. Given the day had been scorching up to that point, I did have to double-check when setting foot inside Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre that I hadn’t actually transported somewhere else entirely. I joke, but if theatre is ideal for providing escapism, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a setting and situation that did that more than this particular performance of Brigadoon.
Back to the production itself, and Drew McOnie has truly worked his magic once more, both in his direction and choreography. Creative choices and a brilliant use of space brought Brigadoon bang into the 21st Century… while retaining its original place in time. Expect cast members and musicians to appear at any given moment in every corner of the audience - just try not to jump at the sudden drums like I did. I’d like to think a Piper appearing at the highest part of the set at one point was a playful nod to last year’s Fiddler On The Roof - whether it was or not, the use of the Pipers throughout was an inspired touch, no matter how much you may or may not love bagpipes as an instrument. As great as McOnie’s direction is in this production, his choreography is particularly out-of-this-world. Striking and coming to life on multiple sequences, it proves awe-inspiring throughout, with fun and fanciful elements tapping in to the nature of the story and finding new and innovative ways to tell the story through movement.
One aspect of any show at Open Air Theatre that always proves a joy is the lighting, though historically this only really comes into effect in Act Two on evening shows as the sky gets darker. Brigadoon is the first time I have been wowed by the lighting from the beginning. With gorgeous design from Jessica Hung Han Yun, the lighting is almost a character in itself, such is the magnitude of its presence. From its placement in and around the trees, it is subtle but effective, transforming the stage throughout and adding a special element in what has to be my favourite use of lighting I've ever seen at this theatre.
Of course, a musical such as Brigadoon comes with some fine musical numbers from the legendary Lerner & Loewe, with the classic ‘Almost Like Being In Love’ matched with a high standard of numbers elsewhere - and now, thanks to ‘Come To Me, Bend To Me’, I know where Andrew Lloyd Webber got his inspiration for ‘The Music Of The Night’. There is no shortage of showstoppers in this show - and that’s not including the actual show stop on this particular performance. These numbers are brought to life with some fine vocal performances from an extraordinary cast - another aspect of what makes Brigadoon such a miraculous production.
The roles of Tommy and Jeff are played by Louis Gaunt and Cavan Clarke, both excelling on their own, but displaying a beautiful chemistry and camaraderie together, despite the need for each to venture off on their own as they discover differing adventures. Gaunt charms with his sweet and lovestruck performance, while Clarke showcases his versatility with a largely comedic offering, peppered with some serious moments when the need calls for it. Each of the two gets another partner to spar with. For Clarke, it’s brilliant though underused Nic Myers as Meg, delivering one of the standout numbers with ‘The Love Of My Life’. The love/hate dynamic Clarke and Myers had was among the strongest and left me longing to see more of them together.
On the other hand, there is no question of whether it is love or hate when it comes to Gaunt and his own partner, a stunningly good Danielle Fiamanya, on top form as Fiona, a role she is sharing with Georgina Onuorah during this run. With beautiful vocals, whenever Fiamanya is singing, Brigadoon is at its best in a standout turn. Together with Gaunt, they enjoy some of the greatest musical numbers, including the aforementioned ‘Almost Like Being In Love’ and a phenomenally good ‘The Heather On The Hill’. There is a third couple at play in this story, and their dynamic proved to be the most well-rounded, thanks in part to it being their wedding day. Gilli Jones makes an impressive professional debut with a charismatic and gleeful turn as Charlie, delivering one of the strongest musical moments in ‘I’ll Go Home With Bonnie Jean’. Speaking of, Jasmine Jules Andrews is equally thrilling in her time as Jean, lighting up the stage whenever she appears, and having an authentic chemistry with Jones, in a couple I found myself rooting for more than the actual lead couple.
In what I consider to be Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s strongest season for quite some time, Brigadoon makes three for three this year, and feels like the perfect way to end the season, bringing a bit of nostalgia with its hark to the past while keeping one foot in the present and even a look to the future. With Drew McOnie’s first season as Artistic Director proving this consistently impressive, I’m excited to look to the future and see what he comes up with in 2026. Brigadoon proves to be the perfect remedy for a summer night, no matter the weather. It’s very easy to get lost in this miracle of a show - let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 100 years to see it again.
Brigadoon plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 20th September.
Photos by Mark Senior