Kevin Kennedy joins the touring cast of The Commitments
Coronation Street favourite turned stage star Kevin Kennedy will join the cast of the new touring production of Roddy Doyle’s exuberant story of an Irish soul band, The Commitments.
The star, who is still fondly remembered for his role as the hapless Curly Watts (Chicago, We Will Rock You) in the ITV soap, will play ‘Jimmy’s Da’ alongside original West End cast members Brian Gilligan and Andrew Linnie.
Originally cast as drummer Billy ‘The Animal’ Mooney, Gilligan returns in the showstopping role of singer Deco, a part he won after the director overheard him singing in a stairwell backstage.
Linnie, meanwhile, started out as a member of the ensemble, before stepping into the central role of Jimmy Rabbitte when the original performer damaged his knee and his two understudies were unavailable. After receiving a standing ovation for his performance as a stand-in, Linnie returns to the role of Rabbitte, the young working-class music fan who shapes an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into a crowd-pleasing soul band.
Following on from its record-breaking residency at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End, The Commitments will begin its tour by heading home to Dublin nearly three decades after Doyle’s original novel made its debut.
Brian Gilligan returns in the role of Deco
Commenting on his creation’s homecoming Roddy Doyle said: “The Commitments were born in Dublin, moved to London and will soon be hopping all over the shop. I wrote the novel – invented the characters – in 1986, and it thrills me to think that they will be entertaining audiences throughout the UK and Ireland 30 years later, in 2016.”
Other casting announced includes sisters Amy and Leah Penston who together with Christina Tedders will play The Commitmentettes.
The touring production will also feature a number of other performers from the original West End cast including: Peter Mooney, Padraig Dooney, Sam Fordham and John Currivan. They will be joined by Rhys Whitfield, Alex McMorran and Christian Hames.
Doyle’s The Commitments initially moved from the page to the big screen in Alan Parker’s critically acclaimed film version. The stage musical version in turn became an instant hit when it received its world premiere in London in September 2013.
The tour launches at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre (3-7 October) before heading home for a limited run of 23 performances at Dublin’s Bord Gàis Energy Theatre (12-29 October). It will then return to the UK starting at the Milton Keynes Theatre (1-5 November); Nottingham Theatre Royal (7-12 November); Stoke Regent Theatre (14-19 November); Stoke’s Regent Theatre (14-19 November); Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (21-26 November); Norwich Theatre Royal (28 November-3 December); Leeds Grand Theatre (5-10 December); and Glasgow Theatre Royal (12-30 December).
The 2017 dates begin at the Brighton Theatre Royal (2-7 January) followed by Oxford New Theatre (9-14 January); Liverpool Empire (16-21January); Belfast Opera House (23-28 January); Southampton Mayflower (30 Jaunary-4 February); Newcastle Theatre Royal (6-11 February); York Grand Opera House (13-18 February); Bristol Hippodrome (20-25 February); Edinburgh Playhouse (27 February-5 March); His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (7-11 March); Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (13-18 March); Marlow Theatre, Canterbury (20-25 March); Manchester Palace Theatre (27 March-8 April); Cardiff Millennium (10-15 April); New Victoria Theatre , Woking (17-22 April); Plymouth Theatre Royal (24-29 April); Cliffs Pavilion, Southend (1-6 May) and Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre (8-13 May).
Adapted for the stage by Doyle himself, the production is directed by C Jay Ranger and produced by Phil McIntyre Entertainments.
Angela Thomas
www.thecommitmentsontour.co.uk
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