Review: Keli, National Theatre of Scotland
- Lisa in the theatre
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
Martin Green's new play Keli for the National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) tells the story of a girl who has grown up in a former mining town where all that remains of the coal mines are the memories of the local people and the music of the brass band. The show is touring Scotland in 2025, aiming to reach communities that were affected by the 1984 miners' strike.
Review: Edinburgh Royal Lyceum Theatre, 16 May 2025
NTS Keli review ★★★☆☆ Liberty Black is a sensation
Seventeen year old Keli (Liberty Black) is the best player in her brass band. But as a teenager living in a former mining town in Scotland, she cannot commit as much time to rehearsals as band leader Brian (Phil McKee) would like. Keli has school, work and family commitments to juggle as well as the band. Keli works at the local supermarket to bring in money, and her mum (Karen Fishwick) is dependent upon her. It's a lot for any teenager to manage. But Keli's musical talent is extraordinary, and the band are relying on her to lead them to success at a prestigious competition at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The National Theatre of Scotland's Keli begins at the end of the story with spirited Scottish teen Keli falling into a disused coal mine. There she meets 140 year-old local legend Willie Knox (Billy Mack) and we, along with Knox, learn of the strange sequence of events that have led her to this moment in time and to this catastrophe.
Alisa Kalyanova's dark coal-seam sets are imposing, and with gorgeous lighting from Robbie Butler, the play instantly feels atmospheric and intriguing. It turns out that Keli has had the strangest night of her life, and the journey we go on with her from this point on is both thrilling and wildly unexpected.
But Keli's coarse language is immediately jarring, particularly when offset against Mack's softly-spoken older gentleman. Growing up in working-class Scotland myself I am very used to swear words being used as punctuation, however Keli's colourful speech is something else. I found it detracted from the sensitivities of the play at times - some of the meaning behind the dialogue lost to the sheer shock of the words.
The small cast of Keli are excellent
In her professional theatre debut, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland final-year student Liberty Black is a sensation in the lead role as the foul-mouthed Keli. She's confident, funny, and captures the raw sadness and explosive anger of the troubled teen perfectly. An astonishing debut from a future star of the Scottish stage.
The rest of the small cast, including Phil McKee and Karen Fishwick, are likewise excellent. Olivia Hemmati - also in her professional debut - is glorious as both Amy and Saskia; two characters who could not be less alike, but who both bring much of the welcome energy and humour to the story.
The band is the toon; the toon is the band
Joining the actors on stage are a small brass ensemble led by Admiral Fallow's Louis Abbott who provide the background music for the play. Tenor Horn player Andrew McMillan, Tuba player Hanna Mbuya and the multi-talented Karen Fishwick stand-in for Keli and Brian's brass band. But it's only at the end of the show that we are treated to the magnificent soaring music from the full brass ensemble of the award-winning Whitburn Band (who are alternating venues with another esteemed band, Kingdom Brass.)
Keli is more than a play with music; the music is integral to the storyline and to the recent history of the ex-mining town. The brass band even have a chant: "The band is the toon; the toon is the band." And so the inclusion of the superb musicians on stage is vital.
The exhilarating sound of the full band at the end brought a tear to my eye. I wish they had featured more, perhaps when Keli's band were performing at the Albert Hall would've been another opportunity to squeeze them in. Throughout the play, the stage and in particular the band-practice scenes feel sparse without them.
The play could do with a few more actors in speaking-roles generally. I understand the budget challenges that live theatre faces these days, but a speaking cast of five does not feel big enough to do this rich material justice.
Nevertheless Martin Green's Keli is an important story, very well written and told. It's a lot more fun than the blurb makes it out to be! I did feel the mum's story was rushed at the end, and some of the set changes could've been smoother, but overall NTS's Keli is a charming play about the enduring legacy of Scotland's mining past. With the added draw of a fantastic brass band live on stage and an unforgettable, star-making performance from Liberty Black at its core, Keli is definitely worth your time.
Keli is touring Scotland form Sat 10 May - Sat 14 June 2025. Full dates and venues here
Keli cast and creatives
Written and music composed by Martin Green
Directed by Bryony Shanahan
Cast:
Liberty Black (Keli)
Karen Fishwick (Jayne)
Olivia Hemmati (Amy/Saskia),
Billy Mack (Willie Knox)
Phil McKee (Brian)
.
Performing Musical Director Louis Abbott
Small brass ensemble Hanna Mbuya (Tuba)
Andrew McMillan (Tenor Horn)
Karen Fishwick (Euphonium)
Lighting Designer Robbie Butler
Associate Director Isla Cowan
Casting Director Anna Dawson
Sound Designer George Dennis
Choreographer Chinyanta Kabaso
Set and Costume Designer Alisa Kalyanova
Brass Bands:
Whitburn Band
Kingdom Brass
NTS Keli 2025 tour dates
Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
10 May (preview)
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
13 - 14 May (previews)
15 - 17 May
Dundee Rep Theatre
22 - 24 May
Perth Theatre
4 - 7 June
Tramway, Glasgow
11 - 14 June
NTS Theatre for a Fiver tickets are available for 14 to 26 years and those on low income benefits at the venues above. More info on the NTS Theatre for a Fiver scheme here
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