Drew McOnie and the cast of Brigadoon on bringing the Scottish Highlands to London in rare Lerner and Loewe revival

Yesterday, WhatsOnStage attended the official opening of Brigadoon – the final production of artistic director Drew McOnie’s inaugural season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Despite some act one drizzle, only adding to the atmospheric Scottish Highlands setting perhaps, the show was hailed as a “wonderful piece of escapism” and an “affectionate embrace of a musical” by WhatsOnStage lead critic Sarah Crompton.

We caught up with McOnie, who serves as director and choreographer for the piece, alongside cast members Danielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah, who share the role of Fiona MacLaren, Louis Gaunt (Tommy Albright), Jasmine Jules Andrews (Jean MacLaren) and Gilli Jones (Charlie Dalrymple), to get their thoughts on the first major London revival of the Lerner and Loewe musical in over 35 years.

Check out all the opening night highlights below:

Adapted by Rona Munro, the musical follows WW2 fighter pilots Tommy and Jeff, who crash land in the Highlands of Scotland and search for a way home. Meanwhile, sisters Fiona and Jean are preparing for a wedding in the dreamlike village of Brigadoon. It features songs such as “Almost Like Being in Love,” “Waitin’ for My Dearie,” and “The Heather on the Hill.”

The cast also includes Elizabeth Armstrong (ensemble), Edward Baruwa (Andrew MacLaren), Norman Bowman (Archie Beaton), Taylor Bradshaw (ensemble), Chrissy Brooke (Maggie Anderson and Ensemble), Tanisha-Mae Brown (ensemble), Cavan Clarke (Jeff Douglas), David Colvin (ensemble and Piper), Adam Davidson (ensemble), Tim Hodges (ensemble), Shoko Ito (ensemble), Gilli Jones (Charlie Dalrymple), Christian Knight (ensemble and Dance Co-Captain), Anne Lacey (Lundie), Robin Mackenzie (ensemble), Owen McHugh (onstage swing), Nic Myers (Meg Brockie), Danny Nattrass (Harry Beaton), Jessie Odeleye (offstage swing), Eve Parsons (onstage swing), Bethany Tennick (ensemble), Dale White (offstage swing and dance co-captain), and Liam Wrate (ensemble).

Rounding out the creative team are Laura Bangay as musical director, Basia Bińkowska as set designer, Will Burton as casting director, Sami Fendall as costume designer, Carol Hancock as associate wigs, hair and make-up designer and supervisor, Alessandra Davison as associate director, Hazel Holder as voice coach, Jessica Hung Han Yun as lighting designer, Nick Lidster for Autograph as sound designer, Ingrid Mackinnon as intimacy director, Ebony Molina as associate choreographer, Morag Stark as dialect coach, and Sarah Travis as music supervisor and orchestrator.

Brigadoon continues until 20 September, with tickets on sale below.