Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Shoreditch Town Hall, London
CEILIDH [pronounced kay-lee] is a new musical bursting with music, dancing and storytelling.
Experience CEILIDH THE MUSICAL - a foot-stomping, joyful, heart-warming party brought to life every night with a company of 16 actor-musicians. Told in the way of every great Ceilidh, with dances, drinks and songs, we follow one family’s unforgettable story as it unfolds across the hall. As you share the experience with those around you, this joyful and moving journey reminds us that the people we love never leave us.
Haggis tasters, drams of whiskey, and a live piper are all a bit stereotypical for a Scottish musical… is what some may say about Ceilidh The Musical. But they'd be completely wrong. It was the perfect glimpse into what these classic Scottish events are like, and all of the joy and heart that comes from them.
Every single member of the cast was absolutely gorgeous; both as people and performers. As this show is very immersive, they are interacting with the audience at all times, often to give instructions for the next dance or lead us back to our seats without spoiling the fun. It is a skill that they all manage with smiles and warmth, which only adds to their already outstanding abilities as actor-musicians.
It was also refreshing to see so much diversity on stage - with a range of gender expressions, ages, body types, and ethnicities! The commitment to inclusion shone through at all times, with queer characters at the centre of the story without being made a key plot point simply for their sexuality. Hearing my own accent in a professional production was so lovely but I will admit it was sometimes hard to make out the dialogue over the loud live music and strong acoustics.
It's important to note that I felt welcome at all points during my visit however this experience has not been designed with wheelchair users in mind. With no captioned or BSL performances available, it is a shame that those with physical disabilities may be left out of the dancing portion of the event. Mobility aids are very welcome on the stage and I was encouraged to join in whenever I wanted to, however it can be tiring trying to adapt the choreography for yourself when everyone else is being taught the same steps, and other times it was simply too busy and unsafe for me to join in!
When I first moved to London, I thought I had lost ceilidhs. A few years later I found that they still happen here and was incredibly excited until I realised none of them were particularly accessible. So it would be especially great to see visible disability representation in stories like this where we are so often excluded.
The score was toe-tapping and I was still singing some of the songs the next day. The cast were all controlled and confident in what, at times, seemed like a gloriously hectic environment. But the absolute highlight was the band. Having a room full of strangers all singing and sharing to truly uplifting live music is an indescribable feeling.
There was a real sense of community, and that alone is worth going for. The content of the show is a very high quality bonus!
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