Preview: The Commitments at Newcastle Theatre Royal

 

The Commitments Get Ready To Take Newcastle Theatre Royal By Storm

The Commitments

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Monday 26 June – Saturday 1 July 2023

 

Following a sell-out run in 2017, the world’s hardest working and most explosive soul band – The Commitments – are set to burst back onto the Newcastle Theatre Royal stage (Mon 26 Jun – Sat 1 Jul 2023) as part of a much anticipated nationwide tour.

Coronation Street legend Nigel Pivaro, who appeared in the hugely popular ITV soap between 1983 – 2012 as the lovable rogue Terry Duckworth, will be swapping the cobbles for the stage and performing the role of ‘Da’. 

Joining the cast as Deco is Olivier Award nominee Ian McIntosh. Ian is no stranger to this role, having previously played Alternate Deco during the original West End run. Previous credits include Galileo in the UK tour of We Will Rock You, Sid Worley in An Officer and a Gentleman and he was Olivier nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Musical’ for his role as Barry in Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. His extensive musical career has also seen him perform in Hair and Can’t Buy Me Love. 

Other casting includes James Killeen as Jimmy, Stuart Reid as Joey, Ciara Mackey as Imelda, Michael Mahony as Oustpan, Ryan Kelly as Billy, Conor Litten as Dean, Guy Freeman as Derek, Stephen O’Riain as James, Ronnie Yorke as Mickah, Eve Kitchingman as Natalie, and Sarah Gardiner as Bernie. Maryann Lynch, Alice Croft, James Deegan, Callum Martin, Joshua Barton, Ed Thorpe and Colm Gleeson make up the ensemble. 

The Commitments last appeared on the Newcastle Theatre Royal stage in 2017, playing to sell-out houses during its week long run. 

The Commitments musical has been adapted from the novel by Booker prize-winning author Roddy Doyle. Featuring an electric playlist, The Commitments showcases more than 20 soul classics performed live on stage, including Night Train, Try A Little Tenderness, River Deep, Mountain High, In The Midnight Hour, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Save Me, Mustang Sally, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Reach Out, Uptight, Knock On Wood, I Can't Turn You Loose and many more!

The Commitments tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working-class music fan, who transforms an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into an amazing live act, which becomes the finest soul band Dublin has ever produced. Placing a classified advert in a music paper, Jimmy auditions a number of wannabes before finalising the members of his new band, which he names ‘The Commitments’.

Humour kicks in as the band get to know each other and their instruments, grappling with inter-group differences as they muddle their way through early rehearsals for the band’s first gig. Just as they improve and begin to get a name for themselves, they combust. The backing singers are more interested in the middle-aged horn playing legend, the singer has entered Eurovision, the drummer has walked out mid-gig and the saxophone player has dangerous leanings towards a jazz career.

Photos: Ellie Kurttz

 

Tickets

The Commitments  plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Monday 26 June – Saturday 1 July 2023. Tickets are priced from £20.00 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.