"Fantastically feel-good": Our review of The Commitments at Sheffield Lyceum

“THE Commitments is a fantastically feel-good celebration of soul.”

That’s the opening line on the promo poster for the book-turned-musical at Sheffield Lyceum.

And to be honest, it would be a fitting one-line review.

Adapted from the novel by Booker prize-winning author Roddy Doyle himself and returning to tour the UK and Ireland five years after a record-breaking run in London’s West End and subsequent sell-out tour, the show is based on the BAFTA award-winning film classic.

In 80s Ireland, young working-class music fan Jimmy Rabbitte (James Killeen) decides to shape an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians, singers, and friends into the finest soul band Dublin has ever produced, assisted by veteran trumpeter Joey “The Lips” Fagan (Stuart Reid).

Nigel Pivaro — better known to many as Coronation Street’s Terry Duckworth — is Jimmy’s ‘Da’, while the production is directed by Andrew Linnie, who was sax player Dean in the original West End show and Jimmy on a previous tour.

Doyle has said of the novel that he wanted to “capture the rhythm of Dublin kids yapping and teasing and bullying” and the show does just that.

It’s hard to single out any of the talented cast for particular praise — individually and as an ensemble they are all excellent.

But Ian McIntosh plays obnoxious and tardy singer Deco with an almost Gallagher-esque swagger.  

His brooding and belting renditions of Papa Was A Rolling Stone and I Heard It Through The Grapevine are highlights.

Meanwhile, the three female characters Imelda (Ciara Mackey), Natalie (Eve Kitchingham) and Bernie (Sarah Gardiner) — in between succumbing to the dubious charms of Joey — are sassy and superb on numbers including You Keep Me Hanging On and Chain of Fools.

“Fantastically feel-good”, indeed.