A Small Mind At The Theatre

Roddy Doyle’s The Commitments , a tale of a group of unemployed young people in Dublin who start a soul band, first hit the bookshelves in 1987 and was followed in 1991 by the cult film of the same name. Surprisingly it wasn’t until 2013 that the stage musical first appeared, and debuted at the Palace Theatre in London. So, years after publication, and almost ten years after the stage premiere, is this still a relevant and entertaining prospect? The quick answer is yes, as a delightful wave of nostalgia and comedy permeates the entire evening. The script is sharp, colourful and always interesting and the cast is superb across the board, including as ever a very strong ensemble. James Killeen as Jimmy is tasked with the role of manager and getting the band together and he is full of character as much in the background keeping as tight a grip on this motley gang of youngsters (and one OAP) as possible, as when at the forefront. I also delighted in his rather sweet solo number, pining for...

It is 35 years since The Commitments, Roddy Doyle’s best-selling novel first hit the bookshelves and the musical of the world’s hardest-working and most explosive soul band is also now almost ten years old. First staged in the West End in 2013, at the Palace Theatre, where it played for a record-breaking two-year run, this brand new UK for 2022/23 reaches Milton Keynes Theatre this week, running from 24 – 29 October. The tour features in its cast, the star of Coronation Street, Nigel Pivaro, who will be familiar to many in having played the role of Terry Duckworth between 1983 – 2012. For this tour though, he will be swapping the cobbles for the stage and performing the role of ‘Da’ in this production. Nigel Pivaro says: “I am thrilled to be marking my return to the stage in this production of TheCommitments. It’s an iconic story that resonates across the years, about people who though distant from the music’s origins find communion and expression in the Motown style. A musical genre w...