[AD – PR invite*]
★★★★
I grew up listening to Irish music, first encountering Bill Whelan’s incredible music for Riverdance when I was about 4 years old. It has led to many years of appreciation of Irish folk music and several visits to Dublin, where music plays in the pubs night after night. One of Ireland’s most famous musical acts is the focus of ‘Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of The Dubliners’: a narrated concert that takes audiences through the band’s history and their memorable songs. It is currently touring the UK and this week the show stopped at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone. When I heard that Irish folk music was going to be played a short drive from where I live, I jumped at the chance to see the production at the seaside venue and share my thoughts.
First impressions and welcoming set design
The show takes place in O’Donoghue’s pub, which is a famous musical landmark in Dublin. The audience quickly learns that this is a local institution for folk musicians, and The Dubliners performed at the venue in their early days. Whilst the set is distinctly based on the historic venue, with Temple Bar artwork either side of the stage, I couldn’t help but think of West End favourite ‘The Choir of Man’. There is something very welcoming and comforting about both of these shows, where music and community are at the heart of the performance.
The Folkestone performance was led by Shane Morgan as the Narrator and they had this brilliant, cheeky persona that encouraged some hilarious audience interaction. Supported by 5 fellow musicians and vocalists, I was enchanted by the incredible music from the very first note, with guitar, bodhran, fiddle, banjo and whistles all making an appearance.
A narrated concert
Telling the story of The Dubliners, this is quite different to jukebox musicals. The Narrator takes audiences through the early beginnings of the group, from their sessions at O’Donoghue’s right the way up to performances on Top of the Pops, The McCann Man Show and at the iconic Palladium venue. With all of the success comes some sad times and the cast treat these moments with sensitivity, honouring the band members mentioned. Every section is staged, with the company utilising different formations and lighting variations to imply a change of location. I particularly enjoyed the recording studio segments, taking audiences behind the scenes of the music making process.
Whilst it covers a significant portion of the group’s career, the narration and music sometimes feels a little disjointed, particularly when musical numbers are performed in quick succession. As somebody who is familiar with their general back catalogue and not specific eras, it was quite easy to get soaked up in the songs and forget where we were in the group’s history. That being said, I very much appreciated the screens to the side of the stage, with photos and videos of the current period.
A lively evening of Irish music
Overall, ‘Seven Drunken Nights’ is an incredibly uplifting celebration of The Dubliners’ career and cultural impact. Everything feels so authentic, with the vocalists and musicians bringing the spirit of Ireland to Kent, from the moment that the show started. Highlights are the title song, the catchy ‘Whisky in the Jar’ and ‘The Wild Rover’. I lost count of how many songs they played; longtime fans will be thrilled with the extensive collection of tracks! If you missed the Folkestone performance, ‘Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of The Dubliners’ is back in Kent on 19th April 2025 at the Granville Theatre, Ramsgate. Tickets can be purchased via the venue’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of The Dubliners’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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