Aida is ‘Written in (Dunfermline’s) Stars’

Preview by Anne Mackie

Elton John and Tim Rice’s ‘Aida’ (in conjunction with Disney Theatrical Productions) is set to open at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline this October for the first time since it’s triumphant Tony-award winning run on Broadway in 2001.

Dunfermline’s leading amateur theatre company, Limelight Productions are one of the few companies in Scotland brave enough to take on the challenge of staging the lesser-known musical, which bases its narrative on Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name, and alternatively supports an electric rock score. Company Manager, Bobby Mitchell stated “it was a huge risk to take on ‘Aida’. Very few people have heard of the musical despite its numerous awards in New York so we anticipated the production to be somewhat less commercial than our previous productions. This in no way hinders us as it is a truly beautiful piece of musical theatre and we are fortunate enough to have an incredible cast dedicated to bringing the epic love story to the stage”.

With a cast of approximately 70 performers set to perform in the Fife revival, show director, Malcolm J. Burnett assures “this is a theatrical experience unlike any other. Why should you come? Because I guarantee you won’t have seen anything like this before. It is one of the most astounding pieces of modern musical theatre”.

‘Aida’ ranks in as the 35th longest running musical in Broadway history and despite never travelling across the Atlantic to London’s West End, the promise of turning the Disney Theatrical Productions’ musical into a major live action motion picture featuring Beyoncé Knowles and Christina Aguilera is still in the pipeline. Dunfermline’s own pop divas Mia Oudeh and Fiona Dawson will take on the leading roles of Aida and Amneris in the 2014 Alhambra production where they join Montrose-born Nick Tomlinson as leading man, Radames. With a wealth of music and theatre experience behind them, the trio prove a perfect fit for their onstage personas, appearing both prepared and ready for their Limelight debut at the Alhambra Theatre next week. Not a hint of nerves in sight, Oudeh, in the title role gushed “it’s so exciting as you enter the final stages of the rehearsal process; everything's coming together and we're definitely ready to be taking it to the stage now!"

Limelight’s revival of 'Aida' is set to push the boundaries of modern musical theatre, providing a theatrical experience unlike any other. Unless you saw the musical on Broadway in the early noughties, it is unlikely you will have seen a production of this calibre before, or perhaps even again.

‘Aida’ is certainly Backstagepass’s ‘Strongest Suit’ – make it yours by begging, borrowing or stealing a ticket to one of the most passionate, musically eclectic and dramatic shows of all time. ‘Is it written in the stars?’ Absolutely.

‘Aida’ opens at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline on 30th September – 4th October 2014. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, the Alhambra Theatre and Limelight Productions. Please visit the company’s website www.limelightproductions.co for further information on the upcoming production.