To celebrate the extra St Patrick’s Day performance being added to The Commitments’ schedule, the show’s stars have recorded their own version of The Irish Rover.
The Guinness-waving performance, which could only feel more Irish if the cast were all dressed in green and accompanied by frolicking leprechauns waving shamrocks, gives theatregoers a taste of the musical prowess that lies in store behind the doors of the Palace Theatre, where The Commitments has been playing since September.
Adapted by Roddy Doyle from his own novel, The Commitments tells the story of working class music fan Jimmy Rabbitte, who moulds a group of musical hopefuls into the greatest soul band Dublin has ever seen. But just as they are beginning to build a reputation, they collectively hit the self-destruct button.
The production features more than 20 soul classics including Think, In The Midnight Hour, Try A Little Tenderness and Mustang Sally.
Though normally the cast only perform from Tuesday to Sunday, the St Patrick’s Day performance on 17 March will see them take to the stage on a Monday for what could be the most raucous performance the London stage has ever seen.