Jimmy, ‘The Girls’ and Joey ‘The Lips’ in particular, although Jimmy’s dad (played by Coronation Street’s Nigel Pivaro) almost stole the show. Some stood out as a bit more like the film versions of the characters than others. There are incredible energetic and charismatic performances by all of the cast throughout. Musically, the first half of the show really teases the audience with just a sprinkling of songs but the second half is pretty much non-stop and all killer no filler. With plenty of the best classic soul music in between. Then it’s like a rollercoaster train travelling downhill fast as we see the highs and lows of ‘band life’ and the relationships within it. We watch a series of hopeless hopefuls trying out for Jimmy’s band (to great amusement) until the rag-tag bunch finally come together. Decco, like in the film, can really belt them out, he’s got the pipes, and a few moves up his sleeves to boot. The show begins before it begins, with the stage already set and curtains open even as people are taking their seats, people are arriving at a Christmas party, and a drunken sing-song performance of Ike and Tina Turner’s classic ‘Proud Mary’ introduces us to the soon-to-be frontman of The Commitments ‘Decco’. If you’re going to see the stage musical, your hopes are bound to be set high for the same. The big appeal of the original film was the impeccable soundtrack and the fantastic cover versions of classic songs performed by the cast. In all versions the story follows young working-class, wannabe entrepreneur and music promoter Jimmy Rabbitte as he tries to put together an authentic R&B and soul band in his hometown of Dublin with various trials and tribulations along the way.
The film is itself based on a novel by Roddy Doyle. The Commitments, the stage musical, based on Alan Parker’s 1991 BAFTA award winning film hits Birmingham’s stunning Hippodrome this week. Do You Like Good Music? Sweet soul music!
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