It will be no surprise to regular readers that a usual topic of conversation amongst friends and acquaintances is what I’m seeing at the theatre in the next week or so. Whenever I mentioned I was seeing a show about The Dubliners, nobody responded negatively – at worst, some people had no idea who they were, and so couldn’t possibly comment on a band for which they had no frame of reference. Most had heard of the band but couldn’t offer much in the way of details. None of them would have felt out of their depth in this warm and welcoming show, with no prior knowledge whatsoever required to enjoy proceedings (though almost inevitably it admittedly helps if you know the words, though even some of those can be picked up quickly enough). There was even a rather playful moment when the audience were instructed to clap at a certain moment, only for the song in question to have an irregular rhythm.
The Dubliners started in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group (although they were, as co-narrator of Seven Drunken Nights Ged Graham pointed out, at least once misreferred to as The Ronnie Drew Ballet Group – make of that what you will) but eventually Drew himself (1934-2008) thought they really ought to be called something else. A fellow band member, Luke Kelly (1940-1984) was reading Dubliners, a collection of short stories by James Joyce, and that was good enough for Drew.
This show is, in the end, firmly in tribute band territory, without featuring an actual ‘tribute band’, in the sense that there was no attempt by the cast to ‘be’ any of the members of The Dubliners. Whether any of them looked like, played like, or sounded like any of The Dubliners is therefore utterly irrelevant to the enjoyment of the production. As disclaimers to films and television shows put it, any resemblance is entirely coincidental, even if we are talking about Irishmen playing Irish music in a show about Irishmen playing Irish music.
There wasn’t a huge amount of narration, with the focus largely on celebrating the varied music of The Dubliners. They couldn’t have gone on with the words ‘Ballad Group’ in the band’s name – the simple truth is that they didn’t just sing ballads. This was not exactly two-and-a-half hours of torch songs: overall, more songs were upbeat than downbeat (whoever thought infidelity on an epic scale could be sung about so joyously?), and the musicianship was first-rate throughout.
The amount of storytelling is, on reflection, perfectly pitched – just about enough detail for those who want to carry out further reading and research later to do so, whilst not driving the loyal fanbase to boredom with facts they already know. As for the cast, the youngsters are all good, but it’s the older man, Ged Graham, who more than steals the show, with the kind of booming voice that filled the cavernous space that is the Dominion Theatre quite gloriously.
Some (well, all right, most) of the recorded voiceover narration was difficult to hear over the equally recorded music, which seemed odd. That is, however, a minor quibble. An excellent night out; the rapport with the audience was spot-on, and the committed performances were a delight to witness.
Review by Chris Omaweng
This world-renowned group has delighted audiences with The Dubliners’ greatest hits since its first tour in 2017. The show invites the audience on a trip down memory lane as they celebrate the group’s 50-year-long performing career. Audiences can expect stunning performances of the group’s celebrated classics including The Irish Rover, Tell Me Ma and The Town I Love So Well, along with new songs added for the 2025 tour, including Paddy on the Railway, and The Lark in the Morning. This heartfelt production promises to bring joy to audiences old and young, whether they grew up listening to The Dubliners, or this is their first introduction to Irish music.
CAST
Narrator/Vocals/Guitar – Ged Graham
Narrator/Vocals/Guitar – Luc Power
Narrator/Vocals/Guitar/Bodhran – Eoghan Burke (selected shows)
Narrator/Vocals/Bodhran – Shane Morgan (selected shows)
Narrator/Vocals/Five String Banjo – Peet Jackson
Tenor Banjo/Whistles – Conor Kenny
Supporting Actor – Dylan Graham
Fiddle – Aidan Burke
CREATIVES
Written and directed by Ged Graham
Company Stage Manager – Dylan Graham
Front of House Sound – Nat Benn
Lighting Designer – Will Hathaway
Assistant Stage Manager – Luca Scholes
SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS: THE STORY OF THE DUBLINERS
Dominion Theatre, 23 March 2025
UK and Ireland tour continues to 7 June 2025
Book Tickets for Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of the Dubliners UK Tour
Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of the Dubliners UK Tour
Opera House Manchester
Sun 15 Mar 2026
The Alexandra, Birmingham
Wed 25 Mar 2026
Edinburgh Playhouse
Tue 31 Mar 2026
New Wimbledon Theatre
Tue 7 Apr 2026
Granville Theatre
Sat 11 Apr 2026
Liverpool Empire
Sun 12 Apr 2026
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
Thu 16 Apr 2026
Sunderland Empire
Tue 21 Apr 2026
Grand Opera House York
Thu 30 Apr 2026
Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
Sat 2 May 2026
New Theatre Oxford
Sun 24 May 2026
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Fri 3 Apr 2026
Princess Theatre, Torquay
Wed 8 Apr 2026
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
Wed 22 Apr 2026
