20 – 25 March
‘The Commitments’ was the first novel in Roddy Doyle’s brashly authentic ‘Barrytown’ trilogy, telling the story of a bunch of misfits who share a love of black soul music and go on to become the talk of Dublin. The successful Alan Parker film gave it a new life and the subsequent stage version first hit the West End in 2013, winning awards along the way.
In this new national touring version, the producers have decided to stay true to the original story, basing it in the late 1980’s and very much playing on a double nostalgia, first for the original music and then for the period vibe. The narrative follows Jimmy Rabbite, a would be musical impresario as he gathers the band together and starts to mould them into an professional outfit.
The show’s strength lies in the way the original songs are performed. Lovers of sweet soul music will adore faithfully executed renditions of numbers including ‘Mr Pitiful’, ‘Chain of Fools’ and ‘Papa was a Rolling Stone’ while the energetic cast convince as a band trying to find their way in the music business.
The story, however, lacks much of the grittiness of the original and although there is a scattering of egotistic tension and a smattering of profanity, it all seems a little tame to modern ears. Some of the original dialogue no longer challenges an audience as it once might and the casual swapping of sexual innuendos sashays rather than swears.
The first Act was standard stuff. Once the band had been put together and roles assigned, we settle down to watch them rehearse then perform, then rehearse then perform…and so on. For a show about soul music, the narrative heart was strangely missing, apart from a speech delivered by James Killen as Jimmy about the Irish being the blacks of Europe. Other characterisation was fine as far as it went but too many characters were only drawn in outline. The exception is that of the bad boy with an angelic voice, Deco, played with relish by the impressive Ian McIntosh. He is talented, but troubled and it is clear that he is the antihero destined to grab attention and then pull everything apart. But can he sing!
Stuart Reid as Joey the Lips is the senior member of the band who had played with them all and was still intent on keeping his hand in, particularly with the female backing singers.
An interesting set design by Tim Blazdell kept the attention and is a lesson in what is effective for a touring show with scenes shifting effortlessly from pub to flat to glitzy nightclub.
The finale featuring an elongated, rather engineered, encore made up for much of the lack of emotion in the show that preceded it, and the audience responded with an enthusiasm that was missing up until then.
Full marks to the whole cast for an energetic show delivered with panache, but as for the spirit of soul and rebellion, that was the preserve of the music.
★★★☆☆ Bryan J Mason 21 March 2023
Photo credit: Ellie Kurtz
