The Commitments Live At Liverpool Empire Review

Reviewed by Lucy Gwilliam

Last night, I had the joy of watching the Commitments sell out musical at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. I am a huge fan of musicals and have never been disappointed with any of the shows I have watched at the Liverpool Empire, so I was very excited to watch this hit West End show live.

The Commitments is based on the film classic and tells the story of Jimmy Rabbit who brings together a soul band. The show features standout performances from Deco, Jimmy, and Jimmy’s Dad, who all bring their unique talents to the stage. The rest of the cast is also consistently with with outstanding singing from Imelda and a great performance from Joey The Lips. I remember watching the film with my parents as a teenager and the movie brings back nostalgia for me as I grew up listening to soul music in my home and absolutely loved all the songs on the soundtrack. It was such a joy to see it be recreated live on stage and get the chance to join in with singing and clapping along.

I really liked how the show started with the cast on stage chatting and playing the first scene of the show, which was a Christmas party, while the audience settled in their seats. I have never seen a show start like this and it felt really natural and a really unique way to begin. The show flows brilliantly and the direction and movement ensure the show is always visually interesting, with lighting and sound bringing the performances to life, the set design is impressive, transforming seamlessly from the rehearsal scenes to the band’s venue scenes. The show goes out with a fantastic performance of Mustang Sally, my favourite memorable song from the show and one I was very excited to watch being performed, it is then pleasantly followed by an extended encore with more amazing songs and this whole performance is a massive highlight for me. I was highly impressed with the quality of the singing voices of the actors, it really made for an entertaining watch. The whole audience was mesmerized watching with great enjoyment and hanging on every word that the cast members were singing.

Overall, The Commitments is a fun and enjoyable watch and I would highly recommend it to any musical theatre lover, to anyone who loves the film version of The Commitments and those who love soul music. You will not be disappointed in the slightest. I really enjoyed the whole show from start to end. The musical has a feel-good factor and is a charming working-class fairy tale which is very relatable and enjoyable to watch. The show ends well with a great finale getting the audience on their feet, singing along and clapping top the beat. The Commitments is a wonderful and uplifting show. The show lasts for 2 1/2 hours, including a 30 minute interval.

Rating: It is was truly a fantastic experience and a great night out. I would rate it 5/5.

The performance is showing from 17th-22nd April 2023 and tickets start at £13.

You can purchase tickets at https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-commitments/liverpool-empire/