Review of “High School Musical Live On Stage” at HMT
By Fergus Kinnon and Rachael Shelton-Smith


Disney’s High School Musical is the biggest original Disney channel movie in history with two sequels (HSM 3 in cinemas now). When the stage version of the franchise rolled into Aberdeen nothing could stop us from joining the young audience. As we took our seats in the dress circle of the splendid His Majesty Theatre a giddy sense of excitement came over us as we prepared ourselves for an uplifting cheese fest of peppy song and dance.

The show opened in dramatic fashion with a basketball falling into the music pit by the bemused Ashley Day playing Zac Efron’s lead character Troy. The actor didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the cliché, “the show must go on” as he waited a good thirty seconds until the ball was returned. To his credit he kept smiling throughout the cringe worthy episode.

The show really got going during the song, “the start of something new” where Troy Bolton first meets love interest Gabriella Montez. The enthusiastic ensemble provided quality performing in abundance throughout the show. Drama teacher Ms Darbus was meant to be a bright and bubbly character but the costume department badly let the thespian down in dull brown seventies styled clothes. Connotations of a drab Bette Lynch came to mind. However experienced actress Claire Machin shined even if her lack luster wardrobe didn’t.

Sharpay and Ryan can only be described as a real life barbie and gay ken with matching outfits. The colourful siblings are the only rivals to troy and Gabriella for the lead roles in the East high - school musical. The so-called baddies of the show got the biggest laughs of the night and were vocally and aesthetically brilliant. One of the major surprises of the show was the appearance of the actor playing Troy Bolton, facially quite similar to Zac Efron but his build was more suitable as a quarter back at the superbowl. One Aberdonian quine commented at the interval, “Troy is affa tubby!” In all seriousness the casting of Troy was all wrong. For starters he was virtually 2 ft taller than Gabriella, so much so that they had to hug on a stepladder, no joke! I’m sure the actor Ashley Day would be perfect as Tony Manreno in Saturday night fever but cute pin up Zac Efron he aint.

On a more positive note, the orchestra was superb during every song and scene change. The singing was expertly accompanied by the professional musicians. The show had some original quirks to other HSM productions, including basketballs falling from the ceiling onto stage and streamers flying into the audience during the encore. Overall the show was a satisfying dose of cheese but without the je ne s’ai quoi we were looking for.

His Majesty’s Theatre is a credit to Aberdeen and should be ventured by all. Ticket prices are very reasonable so there’s no excuse to see the variety of shows staged there. Let’s face it, who can resist seeing Dr Karl Kennedy as Captain Hook in Peter Pan this festive season.

Review of “The Full Monty” at Aberdeen Arts Centre by Fergus Kinnon

It’s not often you see a glimpse of testicle on stage at Aberdeen Arts centre. “The Full Monty” is the American stage version of the smash-hit British film. Triple Threat theatre’s adaptation was hilarious, emotional and quite possibly the closest thing to porn ever witnessed at Aberdeen’s “wee” theatre on King Street.

There was only one place my friend Craig and I could sit to see the show - The front row. I came to the show thinking it would all be about the last minute of the strip routine at the end, how wrong I was. Right from the start there were thongs, six packs, thrusting – If I had asthma, I would have been puffing at my inhaler like nobody’s business.

The young cast was full of talent that would not look out of place in a professional touring production. Craig Souter played lead, Jerry – Robert Carlyle’s role in the film. His character portrayal was spot on, and whatever was lurking in his gold thong was making the front row queasy! Scott Macdonald played geeky gay character Malcolm with great sensitivity and almost had me in tears at his characters mother’s funeral. It states in the program that Scott is auditioning for drama schools and based on this performance he won’t have any difficultly progressing to professional work in the future.

The arrival of “Jeanette” into the show brought a new level of comic genius. Ruthie Whyte stole the show as the alcoholic pianist that galvanises the six unlikely male strippers. I could imagine Ruthie propped up at the bar of the Woolpack or Queen Vic bringing in millions of viewers (On Emmerdale or Coronation Street). It has been a year and a half since I played Ruthie’s bowling partner in student show 2007. Since then Ruthie has mostly been behind the scenes of shows as a director. Her return to the stage was triumphant and the crowd showed there appreciation with roaring cheers and rapturous applause.

The one part of the show that was somewhat less impressive was the accents of some of the company. This stage version was supposed to be set in America however a number of lines were delivered with a distinctly Scottish or English accent. As a primary teaching student I’m always thinking about two stars and a wish. In this case the wish would be that the director gets someone to teach the company how to do an American accent. It would have improved the show and help the company in future projects.

The finale of the full Monty Is the reason the show sells tickets. To be frank we wanted to see some sausage action. The lads gave it laldy. It was sexy, tit-alising, ruff all the things the middle aged woman in the audience were hoping for. Without giving the game away the stage director got the timing of the blackout completely right. All in all an amazing night was had by all at the arts centre. I can’t wait for Triple threats next show: Rent in 2009.

North-east student scoops a share of £70,000 lottery TV quiz show victory
cash win ensures westhill man’s 22nd birthday is one to remember
By Alistair Beaton

Published: 15/09/2008


Fergus Kinnon: ambition
More Pictures
AN ABERDEEN University student has marked his 22nd birthday in unforgettable style, by sharing a £70,000 television quiz show win.

Uni pals and friends around the country tuned in on Saturday night to watch Fergus Kinnon from Westhill sweep to success with team-mate Matt Barr from Stockport.

Competing in the National Lottery’s Who Dares Wins, the duo – who won £5,000 in a previous appearance – brushed aside other contenders to steadily clock up the answers and the cash.

“I had a dozen friends in the audience from as far afield as Glasgow and Cardiff and that made it an extra-special achievement. They really cheered us on,” said the fourth-year student.

He was speaking in Manchester yesterday where he was competing in the weekend Pride Games.

Last year the keen athlete took two gold medals and two silvers in the Gay Pride event, and this year was delighted with a silver in the 800 metres.

“The game show was pre-recorded and I was able to watch it on screen,” said former Westhill Academy pupil Fergus, from the town’s Eastside Green.

The young band manager, who is studying to become a primary teacher, chalked up the thousands of pounds as he gave a virtuoso performance in answering a succession of questions on Monopoly places.

Yesterday he revealed how he monopolised the subject by tallying up more than 20 answers in seconds: “My father is an accountant and we played the game almost every day. From the age of five or six it was my favourite game and I was just hoping it would come up as a subject.”

A similar hit in a UK top singles section on the quiz made Fergus and his team-mate record-breaking champions and set for a return to the screen this Saturday.

In December, the seven-strong group he manages – Fergus and The Peekabos – will be releasing their own debut Sign of the Times single on ITunes, and available for download.

Appearances on Who Dares Wins and other television shows from The Weakest Link to Xtra Factor – “I have just done an interview for Who Wants to be A Millionaire in Leeds” – have confirmed Fergus’s ambitions to become a TV presenter.

“That’s something I have always wanted to do. I feel totally at ease in front of the camera and really relaxed. It’s when I am at my happiest. The shows have given me a real insight into television researching and production. The experience has been incredible and invaluable,” added the rock gospel choir member.

Having recently passed his driving test at the fourth attempt, the quiz champ decided not to splash out on a new car: “There’s no need. I have just been given a birthday present of an 11-year-old green Skoda. It has been quite a birthday all round.”