Markinch Musical Society celebrates centenary with Me And My Girl
Markinch Amateur Operatic Society (MAOS), now known in musical circles as Markinch Musical Society, is celebrating a century of music, stories, drama, laughter, and primarily community.
The group is already planning for the Addams Family for next year and are ready for a big production opening very soon.
Opening with Dogs Of Devon for the 1926/27 season, it has covered Gilbert & Sullivan, (The Gondoliers, 1954), operetta, (The Desert Song, 1958, The Student Prince, 1977), and every popular stage musical like Oklahoma (2010) or The Sound Of Music in 2012. From Lional Bart’s Blitz in 2009 to Mel Brooks’ The Producers in 2024 and all with audience approval.
As their president Julie Stirling remarked, only a world war and a world pandemic stopped the shows at Markinch. They were always in the Town Hall and that in itself provided many theatrical challenges.
Life member Ian Thomson has written an illustrated piece in the forthcoming programme celebrating the centenary where he credits the technical crew for their solutions and innovation such as first amateur company in Scotland to feature a video wall for their show Sunshine On Leith.
This year MAOS revisits Me And My Girl, sometimes known as ‘The Lambeth Walk’ musical, a show it first performed in 2003. Set in the 1930s with music from Noel Gay it opened at Victoria Palace Theatre in London’s West End and ran for three years.
While keeping its 30s appeal, it was revived in 1984 by Stephen Fry and Mike Ockrent winning two Olivier Awards and ran for eight years. Opening on Broadway, the show won three Tony Awards, all helped by catchy songs like The Sun Has Got His hat On, Leaning On A Lamppost and of course Lambeth Walk which became an international dance hit of the day.
Scott Melvin directs for his 14th production along with Kenny Letham as musical director, fronting an impressive ten-piece band. Running from Tuesday March 24-28, tickets at www.maos.org.uk