Review by Sam Waite
⭐️⭐️⭐️
At the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe, Bay City Rollers co-founder and hey-day member Alan Longmuir appeared in the first staging of I Ran With The Gang, a show documenting his time with the much-loved group. After his passing, the show has continued on as a tribute to his legacy, and to the impact he had on his fans and his collaborators on the project. This version of I Ran With The Gang, a true for-the-fans and by-the-fans experience, now makes its long overdue London debut at the Stage Door Theatre.
A clear labour of love from all involved, the show has been crafted to appeal to the longtime fans who want to celebrate the legacy of the man and of the art. Indeed, opening night’s crowd came with their array of red tartan scarves and a readiness to sing and dance at the mere mention of a Rollers hit. Three actors take on the roles of The Narrator, Young Alan, and The Roller – Young Alan actually does the majority of the narration, while The Narrator assists with the storytelling and flips through minor roles in Alan’s story. The Roller, meanwhile, is briefly a starry-eyed, fame-drenched Longmuir, but is chiefly employed as beloved frontman Les McKeown.
Written and directed by Líam Rudden, I Ran With The Gang is written in the style of an autobiography, with Young Alan taking us through the dizzying heights of Rollermania through to his final appearances with the band following his disillusionment with their management. It’s all very charming, and the story has some definite emotional peaks which could make for a worthy addition to the ever-expanding bio-play genre. Unfortunately, the more extreme components of the Rollers’ story don’t get much of a look-in here. Of course, the celebratory nature of the show doesn't lend itself well to discussing the darker side of Alan and co’s stories, but it was slightly jarring to have such a glossy, smoothed over version of events and more exposition may have been welcome in establishing Longmuir's reasons for eventually parting with his bandmates.
Michael Karl-Lewis puts in a bright, energised performance as Young Alan, a dynamic reading of his lines coupled with a genuine awe for the story he is telling. Alongside him, Lee Fanning brings suitable gravitas to his contributions, including a moment of genuine menace when he steps briefly into the role of Tam Paton. Completing the trio, Ross Jamieson has little asked of him but to mug to the crowd for a quick laugh here and there, until he comes into his own as McKeown during the extended tribute concert that concludes the evening.
And therein lies the highlight for Bay City Rollers fans old and new, and an unmistakable fault for those either unfamiliar with the music or there hoping for a more in-depth bio-play. With a heartwarming speech and a reading from Longmuir’s biographer at its beginning, a video montage completing the play itself, and a 25-minute tribute gig as the finale, the opening night performance still ran at just 70 minutes. For the fans looking to attend a tribute to a longtime favourite, this is more than enough, but I couldn’t help but feel let down by how short, how surface-level, Rudden’s text proved to be.
With suitably tartan-clad costumes from Sheila Behler-Nitz and some real pop-star bravado from Jamieson, the trio of actors prove to be a capable tribute band, with Erik Grieve’s arrangements and Gavin Dickson’s music direction helping to shift the evening instantly from play to back-room gig. Unfortunately, this admittedly joyous display of passion for both Alan and for the Rollers feels out of place when there are so many more stories left to tell. I Ran is advertised in its current form as a tribute to Alan Longmuir, but I couldn’t help but wish it could also be more thorough in telling his story.
Perhaps there’s a generational divide too wide to bridge, or maybe I simply had the wrong expectations of I Ran With The Gang, because there was no denying the outpouring of love that came with the final bows. Tartan scarves waved in the air, classic choruses were merrily bellowed, and the bulk of the crowd seemed to be having a moment of genuine, uninhibited fun. I Ran With The Gang was too surface, too light and airy for me personally, but I can’t bring myself to deny anyone the kind of happiness it brings.
I Ran With The Gang plays at The Stage Door Theatre until August 17th
For tickets and information visit https://www.stagedoortheatre.co.uk/i-ran-with-the-gang-13-17-aug/
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