Note - I saw this in early previews.
The joy in this production is infectious, fuelled by the brilliant young cast, many of whom are making their professional debuts with this production. Built around the same story as the film, Enda Walsh’s adaptation really amps up the energy. There are a few new songs introduced, the best of which are those created for the older brother.
In previews, the production dazzled; the design choices were strong, using the minimalist set and loads of projection to create the space that could alternately be the house, the school, and transform into a concert space as the kids began to feel like rockstars. The pacing in previews was my only real quibble; there is a clear moment of transformation in the script when the band forms. The direction, shape, energy all change — however this shift wasn’t clear enough. It was as if they began too high-energy for that transition and the magic of the band to have its potential impact.
I’m very curious to see if (when?) this transfers and how it evolves.