Smart, fine voiced performance at Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Never has a downpour been better received, followed by a thunderclap of cheers. It is easy to forget Singin’ In The Rain is one of the finest film musicals.

The Pitlochry Festival Theatre company has done John Durnin proud in his directorial swan song after 15 years in the Highlands.

It is vibrant, colourful and with a standard of music, dance and technical expertise that would grace any West End stage.

The plot is a spoof on the Hollywood transition from silent to talking pictures and the inability of some stars to sing or talk properly.

Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are the matinee idols, but their manufactured off-screen relationship is a one-way road – Lina loves, Don doesn’t.

Along comes Kathy and Don is smitten and Lina is hit by a cream cake in the face.

Thus, a war of love is declared, exacerbated by Kathy secretly dubbing Lina’s voice on the studio’s first talkie.

The script is possibly heading towards the Antiques Roadshow – poor George Rae has most of the cringeworthy lines, but he defies the audience not to laugh.

George (as Cosmo Brown) makes a welcome return to Pitlochry and his partnership with Grant Neal as Don is a delight.

And Grant does not disappoint in the tap-dance rain sequence.

But plaudits must also be reserved for Helen Mallon as Lina.

Her voice was an insult to the eardrums – a quite superb performance, with her big number “What’s Wrong With Me” bringing the house down, and then there’s Mari McGinlay in excellent voice as Kathy.

Indeed, there is not a weak link in the 15-strong cast and Chris Stuart-Wilson’s contribution as choreographer cannot be ignored.

As for the curtain call – it really is quite memorable.

This superb company will be Singin’ In The Rain in Pitlochry until December 23.