THE BRIGHT Side of Life benefit show which lit up the Eastgate Theatre last month has been hailed a huge success and could potentially become an annual event.

Local community drama group Tweed Theatre brought together, over two nights on 22nd and 23rd October, a slew of talented local performers to celebrate the resurgence of performing arts.

Tweed Theatre itself, along with the Downright Homespun Radio Company, Sara Boles’ Stride Young Dancers and Eastgate Follies, Shakespeare at Traquair and Celtic Beat with Joe Wilton, collaborated in a production lasting a little over an hour which showcased the cream of local talent in a fabulously upbeat celebration of live drama, comedy, music and dance.

The evening’s entertainment involved hysterically funny satirical sketches from DHRC, superb dancing from Sara Boles’ young and mature artists, a scintillating 10 minute Hamlet from Shakespeare at Traquair(complete with a doom-laden appearance from a certain ex special adviser to the PM), two classic excerpts from Tweed Theatre-one from an Alan Bennett monologue and the other Mrs Culfeather’s mince from The Steamie, and all rounded off by Nomad Beat’s sensational Celtic Beat group’s foot-tapping music.

The finale saw the audience joyfully joining in two verses of the immortal Monty Python’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, the song after which the show was named.

The production was so successful, raising a considerable amount for the Eastgate Theatre, sending people home happy on both nights and encouraging local performers to collaborate creatively, that there is a feeling amongst the performers that the variety benefit show could become a regular event. Watch this space!

Organisers wish to thank the ferociously talented artists who came together and say that it was worth the six months of planning to see the audience spilling into the street entertained and looking forward to what we all hope will be a complete return to enjoying the thrill of live performance.