Smash-hit musical The Commitments promises a fabulously fun night out at Royal & Derngate in Northampton

35 years since The Commitments first burst from the pages of Roddy Doyle’s best-selling novel, the world's hardest working and most explosive soul band return in an all new stage production, which comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate this spring, from Monday 10 to Saturday 15 April.

This major UK and Ireland tour stars Coronation Street legend Nigel Pivaro, who appeared in the hugely popular ITV soap between 1983 – 2012 as the lovable rogue Terry Duckworth. He will be swapping the cobbles for the stage and performing the role of Da in this smash-hit musical.

The Commitments tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working-class music fan, who transforms an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into an amazing live act, which becomes 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 members of his new band, which he names ‘The Commitments’.

Nigel Pivaro says: “I am thrilled to be marking my return to the stage in this production of The Commitments. It's an iconic story that resonates across the years, about people who though distant from the music's origins find communion and expression in the Motown style. A musical genre which was borne out of oppression and which the characters embrace as their own. The Motown Sound is as vibrant today as it was when it first burst through in the Sixties.”

This new tour, which started in autumn 2022, is directed by Andrew Linnie. Andrew made his West End debut in the original production in 2013, playing the role of Dean, the band’s sax player. He then went on to star in the lead role of Jimmy Rabitte in the 2016/2017 UK tour.

The Commitments musical has been adapted from the novel by Booker prize-winning author Roddy Doyle. Featuring an electric playlist, The Commitments showcases more than 20 soul classics 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 many more!

The Commitments take to the Derngate stage from Monday 10 to Saturday 15 April at 7.30pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets – priced from £11* – can be booked by calling Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

* A charge of £3.50 applies for all transactions of £20 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Members or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.