Sing Street at the Lyric Hammersmith
Sing Street has had a tough road to its London debut, scuppered from Broadway in 2020 (due to COVID closures) before eventually hitting its stride in Boston. Lyric Hammersmith’s production reunites the original creative team, including director Rebecca Taichman, and its joy, heart and infectious tunes show why its appeal has persisted through a pandemic and across continents.
Adapted from John Carney’s beloved coming of age film of the same name, Sing Street takes us back to the streets of “dead-end Dublin” in 1985. Schoolboy Connor copes with the malaise of his hard-up suburban life through a love of pop and rock, so when an opportunity arises to impress the mysterious aspiring model Raphina, the answer is obvious: start a band. What follows is not just a simple teen romance but a moving tale about making light out of darkness and having the courage to dream of a better life.
Fans of the film will be pleased to know that the best of the movie survives the adaptation: namely, its humour and its heart. Connor (played in a stunning debut by Sheridan Townsley) is an endearing protagonist, funny and a bit rebellious, but always with his heart on his sleeve. His romance with Raphina seems on the surface to be a typical boy-meets-girl affair, but creator Carney and book-writer Edna Walsh add some layers (Raphina’s childhood trauma, the lack of opportunities for Irish teens) to make it a bit more complex and interesting. Similarly nuanced – and similarly touching – is Connor’s relationship with his elder brother Brendan, who acts as a beloved mentor but is deeply unhappy, trapped in Dublin by his own anxieties.
Another successful carryover from screen to stage is the original music, written by Carney and Gary Clark. Sing Street has some proper tunes in it, like showstopper pop anthem Drive It Like You Stole It and even the fantastically cheesy synth track The Riddle of the Model. The cast all play their instruments live on stage, and it’s a true joy to hear these songs performed live. It’s like being at a pop concert (indeed, at one point all pretence of the musical format is abandoned as the crowd is encouraged to sing and clap along).
Sing Street isn’t without flaws; some of the weakest songs are those that have been added for the stage version, including Raphina’s only track, Beautiful Disguise (a shame as Grace Collender is one of the best of the cast). Some scenes are clearly included to mask a costume change, and the pace drags. Sonya Tayeh’s choreography feels a bit stilted at times, overly reliant on boy-band-esque bopping. But the flaws pale in comparison to the show’s strengths, and on the whole it’s a truly joyful experience that leaves audiences on a high note (and probably with a song or two stuck in their heads).
Maggie O Shea
Photos: Manual Harlan
Sing Street is at the Lyric Hammersmith from 8th July until 23rd August 2025. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.
Watch the trailer for Sing Street at the Lyric Hammersmith here:
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