Are you looking for an Irish-inspired Christmas concert, akin to stepping into a world where the warmth of Irish culture meets the joyous spirit of the festive season? Could Fairytale of New York could be the show for you? Read on…
Produced by the creators of “Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of The Dubliners,” the production promises a blend of festive cheer and Irish magic.
At the heart of the production is the multi talented cast. Twelve strong, each member brings a contagious joy to their performance. Sam Beveridge (Vocalist/Instrumentalist) displays a fantastic vocal range, and alongside Chloë Donnelly (Vocalist) they each the deliver the standout performances of the evening.
Irish dancing is of course celebrated worldwide for its intricate footwork and lively energy, and this production does not disappoint in delivering both, there is however a BUT…
Whilst the show offers a mostly simple mix of festive favourites such as Merry Christmas Everyone, Step in to Christmas and Little Drummer Boy, there are also some odd choices, such as ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas”, which doesn’t sit quite right played on a fiddle amongst a celebration of yuletide given the songs meaning. There are too some quintessential Irish sing-a-long songs included, but we’re not actually encouraged to sing-a-long.
The order and pacing of the set list could also benefit from some adjustments, particularly in the first half of the show. Flitting between fast and slow numbers, you feel like it can’t really gain momentum and get going.
The sound quality is also questionable. The musical numbers were on the whole fine, but sat on the second tier, I couldn’t work out what the narrated parts were saying, so I’ve no idea if they were relevant.
The show was however a sell-out. I think probably down to expectation, having been named after the favourite perennial Christmas collaboration between Kirsty MaColl and The Pogues. And you kind of think that a musical based on the songs lyrics about a broken dream could work. Sadly though this isn’t it. Neither a musical theatre show nor sing a long Christmas music concert, the production sits somewhere awkwardly in the middle, which is a real shame as the cast are clearly talented – just driving home for Christmas in the wrong vehicle.
Overall, listening in on the feedback from theatre goers, the production seems to divide the audience. Some could be heard saying it’s the best thing they’ve seen, whilst several around us actually left as soon as the song Fairytale of New York had been performed.
My advice, see it for yourself. I really wanted to love it. It rolls out annually, and with a few tweaks here and there it could well eventually become a staple in the Christmas diary.
Review by Tanya Louise
Editor NottinghamLIVE
Comments Closed