The Commitments, New Alexandra Theatre - review and pictures

These are things we learnt whilst watching The Commitments stage show last night.

Well if soul is sex then I am certainly in need of a rest and a cigarette after watching that performance at the New Alexandra Theatre. That much soul can wear a girl out!

Watching this production of The Commitments is like your best night out with your craziest friends – or family!

The storyline, written by Roddy Doyle and made into a hugely successful film in 1991 before he adapted it for the stage, is easily described.

Set in Dublin in 1986, young music lover Jimmy decides to form the ‘world’s hardest working band’ to bring soul to the people of Ireland and sets about recruiting band members.

What follows is a cacophony of people shouting and occasionally fighting, oodles of laughs and some fantastic classic soul tunes.

Jimmy is played by Andrew Linnie who delivers a solid performance as the ambitious young entrepreneur but he is ultimately the ‘straight man’ to the many colourful characters in the band and the production.

Characters such as the strangely charismatic, ageing musician Joey ‘The Lips’ who claims to have a musical CV to die for, and is back in Dublin to spread the word and love of God – though he spreads the love a little too freely with the girl singers in the band.

The base but annoyingly-talented singer Deco is played by Brian Gilligan. If soul is sex then the velvety smooth seductive voice of Gilligan is the aphrodisiac. His performances of It’s a Thin Line Between Love & Hate and also Try a Little Tenderness send a tingle down the spine that sinks down to your very toenails.

And his irrepressible energy in such upbeat numbers as Proud Mary, Mustang Sally and Papa Was a Rolling Stone is stubbornly infectious.

Sadly Deco is an aphrodisiac that works only if you close your eyes as the character’s personal habits are as detestable as his arrogance and vanity.

Kevin Kennedy – who for most of Britain will only ever be Curly Watts – brings a lot of laughs as Jimmy’s ‘Da’ despite a dodgy accent while my favourite character was Mickah, played by Sam Fordham, as the excitable and somewhat menacing ‘security’ man.

The trio of backing singers are played by Amy Penston, Leah Penston and Christina Tedders who as well as demonstrating some incredible vocals play interesting, individual characters who have their own influence on the dynamics of the band.

It came as no surprise to see everyone on their feet at the end of the show singing and clapping along – we had been fighting the urge from the start of the show.

The show runs at the Birmingham theatre until Saturday but be quick as, not surprisingly, there are only a few seats left for this West End smash.