Photo Flash: New Production Images Released for THE COMMITMENTS UK Tour

Last month the production had is Irish Premiere in Dublin, where Roddy Doyle's story of The Commitments was born, and is now touring across the UK, currently booking until 13 May 2017. Venues, booking information, dates and times can be found at http://thecommitmentsontour.co.uk/.

The UK tour of The Commitments stars Coronation Street legend Kevin Kennedy as Jimmy's Da, Brian Gilligan as Deco, Andrew Linnie as Jimmy Rabbitte and Amy Penston, Leah Pentson and Christina Tedders as The Commitmentettes, they perform alongside Peter Mooney (Derek), Padraig Dooney (Dean), Sam Fordham (Mickah) and John Currivan (Billy), Rhys Whitfield (James), Alex McMorran (Joey), and Christian James (Outspan).

The Commitments tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working class music fan, who shapes an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into an amazing live act, the finest soul band Dublin has ever produced. The show follows the journey of two members of a frustrated synthesiser band - the opening scene has them playing, but ignored, in a shop window - who turn to Jimmy, the local music expert, for help.

Placing a classified advert in a music paper, Jimmy auditions a number of wannabes before finalising the new line up who he names The Commitments. The humour kicks in as the band get to know each other and their instruments, and proceed through early rehearsals for their first gig. Just as they improve and begin to get a name for themselves they combust. The backing singers are all getting off with 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.

The show has been adapted for the stage by Booker Prize-winning author Roddy Doyle, from his original novel. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, The Commitments is packed with more than 20 classic soul songs 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 more!

Photos by Johan Persson

Andrew Linnie and Kevin Kennedy

Brian Gilligan

The Cast of THE COMMITMENTS

Kevin Kennedy

The Cast of THE COMMITMENTS

The Cast of THE COMMITMENTS