Two months in to a nine-month tour of the UK, The Commitments lands in Edinburgh Playhouse. The lines are delivered crisply, the music is tight, and the vocals are on point, and from the look of the almost capacity audience, dancing, singing and whooping by the finale, all is well, or is it?
It is hard for this not to be a hit, based on Roddy Doyle’s 1987 book set in Dublin and the subsequent 1991 BAFTA Award-winning film classic. The hit ingredients keep coming in the form of over 20 soul classics performed live on stage by a group of committed and talented actor / musicians. If you think there is a but coming, you would be right. Sometimes all of the right ingredients is just not enough, which is …well, disappointing.
The story follows James Killeen as Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working-class music fan who dreams of escaping the squallor and poverty of West Dublin by creating a soul music band. Jimmy auditions a number of wannabes, in what is one of the more effective and humorous sections of the show, before finalising and nicknaming the assembled band members. This is all done very effectively against a really excellent dynamic set which transforms into sitting room, bedroom and bar with well-oiled precision. The band is made whole when evangelic horn legend, Joey ‘The Lips’ joins and completes the line-up, praise be to God. Jimmy’s vision is coming true, and the future looks bright. Soon hot news reporters are writing rave reviews and talent scouts come alookin’. But all is not well, and behind the scenes tempers are getting frayed as the play moves towards its final inevitable conclusion.
Unfortunately, lacking the depth of the book or the textures or vividness of the film this rather thin fare comes across as a series of rushed and unconnected songs linked by some tenuous plotlines. Due to the large cast, and the various Southern Irish accents it is difficult at times to follow the dialogue or to really root for any of the characters.
The crowd are emotionally invested in the music, because it is brilliant music, played and sung brilliantly. Maybe that is enough for most but, ironically, I need something with a bit more soul.
Running time – 2hrs including 15min interval. Playing until 3rd December, https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
Reviewer: Greg Holstead
Reviewed: 28th November 2022
North West End Rating: ★★★