Writer: Enda Walsh
Director: Rebecca Taichman
Music & Lyrics: John Carney and Gary Clark
Adapted from the 2016 film of the same name, Sing Street takes its audience on a journey through the fundamentals of coming of age, finding yourself, and learning the value of surrounding yourself with people you love. With identity and belonging at its core, the show exhibits a showcase of what it means to be Irish in the 1980s, and more importantly, what it means to be in love.
True to its source material, Sing Street is set in 1980s Dublin, and follows Conor (Sheridan Townsley), who, due to his parents’ financial difficulties, must move from his current fee-paying school to Synge Street, a public Christian Brothers School. From his first day, Conor finds enemies in the harsh principal, Brother Baxter (Lloyd Hutchinson), and the school bully, Barry (Jack James Ryan), but he also discovers Raphina (Grace Collender), a mysterious girl who spends her time sitting by a phone box waiting for her elusive boyfriend to call.
Smitten with her and determined to keep in touch, Conor asks her to star in a music video for a song that is yet to be written, by a band that doesn’t exist. Raphina accepts, and Conor finds himself in a rush to put a band together. Meanwhile, Conor’s family begins to strain under social and financial pressure, and so he finds comfort in the music he creates.
The show prides itself on its use of live music, with multi-instrumentalist cast members taking centre stage to demonstrate their musical ability alongside their captivating performances as their characters, each with such distinguishable and watchable personalities. The band is made up of Harry Curley, Indiana Hawkes, Jesse Nyakudya, Matthew Philip, and Seb Robinson, many of whom make their musical theatre debuts in Sing Street. The songs themselves are enchanting, giving in to the romance of 1980s pop and new wave that both lift the audience up with numbers such as Up and Girls, as well as finding a mellow sound for the more intimate, introspective moments with songs like To Find You.
Bob Crowley’s brutalist set is utilised expertly in its creation of Conor’s home and school, and with stunning video design by Luke Halls, the stage is transformed by waves of colour and depth that enhance the world in which the story is taking place, not just in the physical location, but also in the insight it gives into Conor’s experience of the world around him. In shooting the band’s music videos, the show also engages with live video and projection in a way that is neither intrusive nor distracting, but instead slides seamlessly into the show as a storytelling device.
Sheridan Townsley brings the role of Conor to life with their vibrant presence, mastering the duality of the character’s home life and love of music that is captivating to watch, especially in their scenes with Grace Collender, whose brooding Raphina adds an air of vulnerability to the mystery of the character.
Similarly, Jack James Ryan provides a performance of Barry that explores the depth of human conflict beyond outward words and actions, and in rising up against the common enemy of Brother Baxter, masterfully constructed by Lloyd Hutchinson, Townsley and Ryan find a unique connection which doesn’t compromise on the individuality of their characters.
A truly exceptional performance, however, comes from songwriter Adam Hunter, who makes his theatre debut as Conor’s brother, Brendan. Between the wit and familial love he displays, Hunter finds balance in the intimate exploration of the character’s regrets and anxieties, collating all of these elements into a sensitive portrayal of inner conflict that demands the emotional investment of the audience.
Sing Street is full of love, loss, and high energy, and as a crucial coming-of-age tale, the show has clichés in all the right places. The narrative and characters are strong and infinitely watchable, and the universal experience of growing up provides all the heartwarming sentiment that audiences will fall in love with.
Runs until 23 August 2025
