The Commitments casting update at the Palace Theatre

Cast update for the stage adaptation of Roddy Doyle's The Commitments, which opens at the Palace Theatre 8 Oct 2013, following previews from 21 Sep - booking to 26 Jan 2014.

Cast includes Denis Grindel making his West End debut as 'Jimmy Rabbitte', Killian Donnelly (Deco), Sarah O'Connor (Imelda), Stephanie McKeon (Natalie), Jessica Cervi (Bernie), Ben Fox (Joey 'The Lips'), Mark Dugdale (Derek), Brian Gilligan (Billy), Andrew Linnie (Dean), Joe Woolmer (Mickah), Matthew Wycliffe (Outspan), Padraig Dooney (Ensemble).

The show is adapated by Roddy Doyle himself, directed by Jamie Lloyd , choreography by Ann Yee, designed by Soutra Gilmour, lighting by Jon Clark, sound by Rory Madden.

The Commitments is the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working class music fan, who shapes an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians and friends into an amazing live act, the finest soul band Dublin has ever produced. The show follows the journey of two members of a frustrated synthesizer band - the opening scene we find them playing but being 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 legend, the singer has entered Eurovision and the saxophone player has dangerous leaning towards a jazz career.

Songs include Think by Aretha Franklin, (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones, Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations, Night Train by James Brown, In The Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett and Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding.