IT'S 30 years since The Commitments first burst from the pages of Roddy Doyle's best-selling novel and the celebration of soul continues, as the hugely successful stage-musical adaptation rolls into Belfast.
The Commitments tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working-class music fan, who shapes an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into 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 new line-up, which 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.
Made into a Bafta-winning film by Alan Parker in 1991, the story has been adapted for the stage by Booker Prize-winning author Roddy Doyle himself. 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, Mustang Sally and I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
The tour of Britain and Ireland also features many of the cast from the record-breaking show’s two-year run at London’s Palace Theatre, including Brian Gilligan who returns to the role of Deco, and Andrew Linnie who stars as Jimmy Rabbitte.
Kevin Kennedy, who won the hearts of the TV-viewing public when he played hopeless romantic Norman 'Curly' Watts in Coronation Street from 1983 to 2003, stars in the production as Jimmy's Da.
"Incredible," is how he describes working with Roddy Doyle and being a part of The Commitments story. "I adored and devoured the book when it came out and what's not to like about the film? It was such a funny, earthy, gritty story which could have been set in any inner city. I'm glad it was set in Dublin because the humour is typically Irish and works very well."
As in the original West End adaptation in 2013, Doyle was very hands-on in the rehearsal period for the touring version.
"It was brilliant, as to have the source there to answer any questions you might have about the way to approach a certain scene you have the author – that is very rare. He gave us this really inspiring piece about how the story belongs to a whole generation of Irish people and we had to look after it."
Playing an Irishman hasn't been too difficult for Kennedy.
"My mum is originally from Dublin and I've legions of family living in Drogheda, so I found it quite an easy transition. Plus most of the cast are Dublin-born so it's not hard to pick up the accent," laughs Kennedy who describes the show as "a play, a musical and a gig".
Jimmy's relationship with his father is particularly entertaining throughout the show, with the pair exchanging witty yet, at times, touching remarks.
Kennedy admits that being a father to his 10 and 12-year-old daughters has helped him in the role of Jimmy's Da.
"Becoming a dad changes your outlook on life, full stop. Although dads tend to take the Mickey and seem dismissive of their children, the fact is you keep a close eye on them. You are a bit wary of being too supportive, but just try to steer them in the right direction."
Although his role doesn't require him to play an instrument on stage, Kennedy is a talented musician himself, who was once in a band with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke before they, along with Morrissey, formed The Smiths.
"I was the original bass player. We were very young and it was very much a Commitments story. Myself and Johnny Marr went to the same church and, as in the play, we played in the local community centre in our trade-off for playing a song at Mass."
Does he have any regrets about the fact that he went into acting and didn't become part of The Smiths?
"No, no. It was a privilege to see Johnny play before anyone else [did] and I knew then that he was going to do well. He's now a guitar god and a good chap as well."
Kennedy has had a wide variety of theatre roles in the past 12 years since leaving Coronation Street, including in Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and We Will Rock You. But would he ever return to the cobbled streets of Wetherfield?
"If the opportunity came up, no-one would be happier than I. You never know. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Corrie. To have brought so much to so many people through that role is something I'm very proud off."
:: The Commitments runs at Belfast's Grand Opera House from January 23-28. Contains strong language. Goh.co.uk
