Review: Sing Street (Theatre)

★★★★★

Sing Street is a new musical based on John Carney's hit film, which made its UK Premiere this summer, running until August 23, 2025. Expect live performances.

My first trip to the theatre in a while, and it was so much fun. I watched the film back when it was released, so I was extremely excited to hear it was coming to the theatre. It was pretty much exactly like the film, no major changes, but then again, I haven’t watched it in a couple of years.

The first half set the scene, taking us to 1980s Dublin, where we’re drawn into the world of economic hardship, family tension, and youthful restlessness. It’s a slow burn, but it lays the emotional groundwork that makes the second act soar.

Coming back from the interval, it was a complete gear shift. The energy exploded off the stage; it felt more like a concert than a musical at times, in the best way possible. We even got a music video! The stage presence was wow, it wasn’t a show anymore, they were a real band. Hearing Drive It Like You Stole was quite possibly the best thing. I’m waiting for the live recording. The crowd was engaged! It was a celebration of youth, music, and resistance. I learned through talking to people that it was an extensive search to find the cast, and well, it was worth it. An incredibly strong ensemble cast.

The use of live video projection was pretty cool; all I could think while watching was how this was possible. The technical magic of theatre is beautiful and interesting to learn about. Big ups to the set, prop, video, and lighting teams.

The press night drinks were super cute, I got some photos on my film camera. A musical star-studded guest list turned out as well. And the food? I was standing, waiting for it all to come out. I had the tiramisu, fish & chips, and Irish stew. I had the best time. My first thought, and the show hadn’t even ended yet, was ‘‘‘When am I seeing this again?”’

Photo Credit: Stafi Samaki @stafisamaki