There are some movies which you know are going to be absolutely masterful when they make it to the stage and THE COMMITMENTS is one of those – and some. More soul classic hits, and incredible story, a top-flight cast, and a band who will leave you singing all the way home.
The Commitments is a fantastically feel good celebration of soul which finally returns to the stage, six years after a phenomenally successful, record breaking run in London’s West End and subsequent sell-out tour.
For the uninitiated, the show is based on the BAFTA award-winning film classic. It 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’.
It’s really funny, but musically brilliant 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.
An every day tale of life in the music business…….
The Commitments musical has been adapted from the novel by Booker prize-winning author RODDY DOYLE and is directed by ANDREW LINNIE. I always used to say to my son when he was younger that ‘a good song, is a good song, no matter when it was created‘ The soundtrack to The Commitments proves that point so well. Featuring an electric playlist, all 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!
Roddy told us…….
“I’m delighted that The Commitments is coming back. I’ve been saying for years that ‘Mustang Sally’ is a traditional Irish song and this new tour will help prove my point.”
In 2013 The Commitments musical received universal critical acclaim while enjoying a record-breaking two-year residency at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End, after which it hit the road for a major tour, invigorating audiences up and down the country throughout 2016 and 2017.
You probably noticed a very familiar face on the poster at the top of the page. Yes, it’s NIGEL PIVARO – the Coronation Street legend that is Terry Duckworth.
Incredibly, it’s just shy of 40 years since Nigel first walked down those cobbled streets as the wayward son of Jack and Vera.
Despite securing a regular role in the show Nigel left of his own choice in1987 to pursue a variety of roles in the theatre.
Nigel has returned to the “The Street” no less than 10 times for some of the shows best story lines eventually clocking up 400 plus episodes.
In the show Nigel plays Da, the father of aspiring Irish music manager Jimmy. We asked him to tell us a bit more about the character……
“Da provides the dramatic tension. There’s lots of friction between Jimmy and the members of the band, but the constant tension in the narrative is between him and his Da. The latter thinks his music is a load of rubbish because it’s not Elvis, basically. As far as he’s concerned, if it’s not Elvis then it’s no good.
Without giving spoilers, let’s say he eventually becomes open to persuasion.”
So, will we get to hear your character belt out any of the shows classic tunes?
“I get to sing a few bars of Elvis rather than the old Motown and Stax classics. That’s probably just as well really.”
I get the feeling there’s a bit of common ground between you and Da…..
“You always find something in any character that you can relate to. He’s a bit of a cynic and as I get older I get more cynical too. I can seriously relate to that. At this age you’ve kind of seen it all, which is where the cynicism comes from.”
Nigel, we can’t have you here without a little mention of Coronation Street and Terry Duckworth. You must have a head full of great memories?
“It was so much fun behind the scenes, especially with Bill and Liz, Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster, and Brian Mosley, who played Alf Roberts. He was so funny off-set. He’d always try and make you corpse when you were waiting to go on. He’d stuff a grape up his nose and daft stuff like that. He was always one for practical jokes and he was nothing like his stuck-in-the-mud character.”
As well as Nigel, The Commitments has a brilliant cast…..
- Nigel Pivaro – Jimmy’s Da / Caretaker
- James Killeen – Jimmy
- James Deagan/Ben Morris – Deco
- Stuart Reid – Joey
- Ciara Mackey – Imelda
- Michael Mahony – Outspan
- Ryan Kelly – Billy
- Conor Litten – Dean
- Guy Freeman – Derek
- Stephen O’Riain – James
- Ronnie Yorke – Mickah, Ray
- Eve Kitchingman – Natalie
- Sarah Gardiner – Bernie
Also including – Joshua Barton, Alice Croft, James Deegan, Colm Gleeson, Maryann Lynch, Callum Martin and Ed Thorpe.
We’ve put together a fantastic The Commitments playlist of songs linked to the show, take a listen below…..
We do have somme behind the scene footage from rehearsals, where you’ll also get to see Nigel too. You can take a look at that on our YouTube Channel HERE.
THE COMMITMENTS is a 100 per cent guaranteed fun night out that will have you singing your heart out and dancing up out of your seats! It gets to the Wales Millennium Centre from tonight – Monday the 22nd to Saturday 27th May. Performances are at 7:30pm with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start at £19 and you can get yours HERE.
