‘Restless Natives’ film to be adapted into musical for 2022 release

The Scottish crime film will be adapted for the stage, featuring music by Big Country.

The 1985 movie Restless Natives is to receive a musical adaptation, it has been announced. As covered in The Guardian, the film's creative team are working on a stage musical version, hoping for a 2022 premiere. 

The Scottish crime movie sees two teenagers, Will Bryce and Ronnie Witherspoon, become modern highwaymen in an attempt to add some excitement into their lives. Riding a Suzuki motorbike, the pair seem to attract more attention than they wanted, quickly becoming Robin Hoods as they hand money out in the streets.

Restless Natives featured a soundtrack from the rock band Big Country, with the musical's creatives looking to incorporate Big Country's tracks into the stage adaptation. Speaking to The Guardian, Andy Paterson said: "The soundtrack of the movie was Big Country. Tragically, Stuart Adamson, who was its lead singer and main composer, died many years ago. But we're very much working with Big Country and including their songs in the musical."

Alongside Paterson, Michael Hoffman and Ninian Dunnett are working on the adaptation of Restless Natives. "We've used lockdown well" said Paterson, who continued by speaking about the music. "Tim Sutton, a big West End musical director and composer, who has written extensively for Radio 4 and the Royal Shakespeare Company is writing the original music. If not for the lockdown, Tim would have been musical director on the National Theatre tour of War Horse at the moment."

Restless Natives is currently in discussions for a world premiere in 2022. Details on a venue, as well as casting and performance dates are to be announced.

^{Photo credit: Still from Restless Natives movie}