IN their eponymous musical, ‘The Commitments’ are proclaimed as the ‘hardest working band in the world’.
Based on the breathless performance at the Wales Millennium Centre this week, ‘The Commitments’ cast can lay claim to be the hardest working in theatreland!
This was a spell-binding, foot-tapping – no, make that foot-stomping – two hours of absolute ‘soul’ pleasure with sound, energy, and joy bundled into every second.
From the moment the curtain went up and the ensemble burst into Tina Turner’s ‘Proud Mary” you know you are in for a real treat.
And two hours later, when the departing audience is filling the streets of Cardiff Bay with strains of soul, you know you have experienced something very special.
While offering countless nods to the 1991 musical film inspired by Roddy Doyle’s book of 1986, this new adaptation has its own distinct “Commitments’ stamp.
Ten years on from the extremely successful West End version, this production enables a young and extremely talented cast to literally strut their stuff.
It is sometimes unfair to single out individual performances but Ben Morris as lead singer ‘Deco’ was absolutely brilliant.
He captured the brooding arrogance of a character who is clearly more talented than the rest of the band, and shows his contempt accordingly. This is a singer who is going to audition to represent Ireland in the Eurovision contest for goodness sake!
There is resulting punch-ups and insults as a result. But when he starts to sing….well, everyone else listens: what a voice.
Morris has the voice to perform the full range of soul classics, and the audience is treated to the full array of them through the show.
Special mention should go to the performances of ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ and ‘Mustang Sally’ – with the latter benefitting – or not – from the requisite audience-participation.
The audience stood and clapped through the finale, and was almost as breathless as the cast, not least The Commitment-ettes backing singers of Ciara Mackey, Sarah Gardiner and Maryann Lynch. River Deep, Mountain High, is, well pardon the pun, a high, as was Signed, Sealed, Delivered…
Ronnie Yorke is outstanding as the terrifying but vulnerable doorman Mickah, and he cleverly stalks the stage wreaking havoc while the band performs a number of the hits.
There is a certain symmetry in Nigel Pivaro playing band manager Jimmy’s father – an actor best known as Terry Duckworth who originally left Coronation Street in the year The Commitments novel was released.
Michael Mahony, Guy Freeman, Ryan Kelly, Stephen O’Riain, and Stuart Reid as Joey ‘the Lips’ Fagan complete the band.
Underpinning everything in such a fast-moving performance is the direction by Andrew Linnie, choreography, sound, lighting and costume, underpinned by a clever, versatile set.
A highlight is the audition scene with clever use of lighting and sound as each hopeful knocks the door of Jimmy Rabbitte’s home to perform one of their favourite 80s hits in the hope of getting a place in the band.
‘We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off’ pretty well summed up the evening. Ben Morris comically did for a quick costume change while superbly managing to perform ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ The audience left theirs well and truly on and still had a good time. No, a great time in fact.
- The Commitments is at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday, May 27, 2023.
- Find out more and book your tickets here.
