Depending on who you ask, Guys and Dolls, first brought to the stage back in 1950, is the musical. Scored by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Frank Loesser, and based on Damon Runyon’s tales of the illicit side of 20s and 30s Broadway, it won every prize going when it opened. New productions have been busy doing likewise ever since. Southern Light, Edinburgh’s oldest amateur theatre company, has produced yet another smashing production to add to the list.

The narrative spinning around this enduring reputation follows the interlocking romances of high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson (Greg McCafferty-Thomson), who takes a bet that he can woo the straight-laced mission worker Sarah Brown (Olivia Hall), and perennial hustler Nathan Detroit (John Bruce), who is desperately dodging both the law and the altar with his long-suffering fiancée Miss Adelaide (Lara Kidd). It is a fast-talking collision of crap games, salvation, and a cynical struggle between the sexes.

Has the story dated? Is it rather sexist? Unquestionably — and if you don’t care for the music, you’re in for a long night no matter who stages the show. For me, however, the titular number, which defines its themes, ‘Guys and Dolls’, remains thrillingly iconic, even if we are lucky to have moved somewhat beyond the simple sexual politics it espouses.

Looking beyond such considerations, the songbook remains a thing of toe-tapping, earworm-riddled joy. Legend has it that when Loesser handed in a 14-strong songbook during development, the producers were so blown away that they commissioned a new book to carry them. The result is a show every bit as integrated as a modern jukebox production and far stronger narratively.

Southern Light Takes on Guys and Dolls at the Festival Theatre

The challenge, particularly for Southern Light’s bold band of unpaid professionals, is to deliver that iconic score with enough pizazz to fill the Festival Theatre. Reader, they make it look alarmingly easy. Musical Director Fraser Hume leads a swinging, tight, big-sounding band from the pit, whilst on stage, the cast nail number after number. The stage is a little cluttered at times, such as during the hectic musical montage that raises the curtain on a bustling Broadway, but the subsequent ‘Fugue for Tinhorns’ immediately sets a high bar. The three performers hit the notes with immense style and sharp harmony.

Vocal prowess aside, the entire company manages a highly decent job with the mandatory New York accents. They are authentic enough to sell the setting without ever grating or getting in the way of clear diction.

Standout Cast Performances in Edinburgh’s Classic Revival

Leading the charge with those vowels is McCafferty-Thomson, a staple leading man of the Edinburgh ‘amateur’ stage, who acquits himself with his trademark blend of charisma and solid vocals, ensuring ‘Luck Be a Lady’ gets the absolute royal treatment. Hall flexes impressive pipes in a role which calls for high notes on demand, whilst Kidd finds plenty of nightclub singer sass to make her numbers memorable, turning ‘Adelaide’s Lament’ into a pure storytelling delight. John Bruce plays Detroit as less of a gritty hardman and more of a brass-necked chancer, but he enjoys a winning chemistry with Kidd’s glam-optimist of a 14-year fiancée.

Impressive as this leading quartet is, they are temporarily upstaged by Fionn Cameron’s sensational late second act triumph with ‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat’. There is plenty of kudos due to the extensive supporting cast, who create a vivid gallery of memorable Runyon characters. Almost all of them are male—this is a 1950s text, and representation was clearly not a concern—but from Big Jule to Liver Lips Louie, they arrive wrapped in pinstripe and overflowing with New York attitude.

Bringing more diversity and showbiz glamour, the expansive ensemble offers colour and all-singing, all-dancing support where and when required.

Wrangling such a huge company is where Director Andy Johnston earns his keep. He is undoubtedly spoiled for talent and makes sure to get the best out of all involved. Ably assisted by Choreographer Janice Bruce, there’s rarely a dull moment on stage – safe to say the show goes to town when the band strikes up the big numbers. Is the stage somewhat cluttered at times, and do the longer, narratively-light sequences feel a little thin at times? Maybe, but these are minor quibbles.

Staging a Golden-Age Broadway Titan

Indeed, for the most part, the blend of physical and digitally projected set design handles this sprawling cast well. In an ideal world, the projection screen would sit further back to retain a greater sense of depth, but it is a reasonable compromise; it must, after all, act as a mask for the inevitable set rearrangements between those big numbers. Indeed, the scene transitions are particularly smooth throughout.

The challenge, particularly for Southern Light’s bold band of unpaid professionals, is to deliver that iconic score with enough pizazz to fill the Festival Theatre. Reader, they make it look alarmingly easy.

Such slick professionalism is just one more virtue of this faithful take on one of the most classic of musicals. You could, I strongly believe, knock 10-15 minutes out of the show and make it zip along a little better, but doubtless purists would scream blue murder, and getting permission for changes is a laborious, admin-heavy task.

My criticisms of the award-winning text aside, Southern Light’s latest outing is a remarkably accomplished production. If you are looking for a brassy, big-hearted revival that respects its golden-age pedigree whilst letting a fiercely talented company loose on an iconic score, you will struggle to find a safer bet in town. It is a genuinely joyful, swinging homage to a Broadway titan.

https://theqr.co.uk/2026/05/14/review-guys-and-dolls-festival-theatre-edinburgh