Alan Longmuir play set for Fringe return after star's death

Alan Longmuir and Les McKeown pose with the boys from 'I Ran With The Gang'.

Director and Evening News entertainment editor Liam Rudden has confirmed the fresh run of I Ran With The Gang: The Story of Alan Longmuir, the Original Bay City Roller starting from August 3. “With the blessing of Alan’s wife Eileen and his brother, fellow Roller Derek, I Ran With The Gang will honour its Fringe dates at Le Monde Hotel on George Street next month,” Mr Rudden said.

“We will remember Alan with songs and smiles and no doubt a few tears along the way, but this is what he wanted. This year’s show will be a celebration of the gentlest, most unassuming man in pop.”

Longmuir – a founding member of the Bay City Rollers – passed away at the age of 70 after falling ill while on holiday in Mexico earlier this month.

Rudden said: “We are still in shock and understand how difficult a time this is for Alan’s family and friends, but also his millions of fans around the world and we would like them to know that as long as they need us, we will be there for them, celebrating those precious memories of Alan.

“We won’t let his music die.”

Returning to Le Monde Hotel for its fifth anniversary year, the smash-hit show features the hits Bye Bye Baby, All of Me Loves All of You, Keep on Dancing, Summerlove Sensation, Saturday Night, Give a Little Love and Shang-a-Lang.

I Ran With The Gang tells the amazing story of the Edinburgh plumber who got lucky and became one of the biggest names in pop as Rollermania swept the globe in the 1970s.

Over the years, the show has seen a number of Rollers legends make guest appearances on stage during the show, including band frontman Les McKeown. This tradition is expected to continue.

“We are planning a very special one-off performance during the run, which should prove a fitting memorial for the man we all loved,” Mr Rudden revealed. It will be our way of saying our farewell and we will be inviting his fans to join us.”

The show’s producer Tommie Travers said: “On Monday, July 2 we lost the original Bay City Roller, the gentleman that was Alan Longmuir.

“I can’t express more what a charming, modest and funny man he was. I feel very lucky and blessed to have met a true legend of pop and we are all determined to do him proud during the Fringe run of the show.”

I Ran With The Gang will run at Le Monde Hotel at 7pm on August 3, 5-10, 12-17, 19, and 22-24.