Our House as presented by LMVG

Leixlip Musical and Variety Group

Our House – The Madness Musical

Tuesday 29^th April 2025

It is to Leixlip Musical and Variety Group’s eternal credit that, year after year, they produce top quality, highly professional and innovative productions in a GAA hall which, let's face it, is not built for large scale theatrical productions. The seating, the queue for the ladies, the lack of comfort afforded in most theatre spaces around the country, matter not to those who are lucky enough to attend a Leixlip show, because they know that what they are guaranteed is an outstanding piece of theatre. And that is exactly what was served up when I attended ‘Our House – The Madness Musical’ in St. Mary’s GAA Hall. 

Front of house was warm, friendly, and highly efficient. The air of excitement and expectation was palpable. The facilities may have been limited, but it was, after all, a Leixlip show and people knew that they were about to witness something special.

The driving force behind that something special was director Claire Tighe and her exceptional team of creatives.‘Our House’ is a show that requires a very clear vision, as two parallel storylines intertwine in a narrative which, in the wrong hands, could descend into chaos and confusion. Thankfully, the group had just the right director at the helm; a director who knew the venue and the show inside out. And it showed. Ms. Tighe ensured that there was an incredibly fluid pace to this fast-moving show. There was a wonderful balance between frivolity and poignancy. I loved the sliding doors motif, reflecting the pivotal, seemingly insignificant moments in our lives that can hugely impact future events. The brilliantly slick use of doors as a clever theatrical device to cover scene changes, costume changes, and to create distractions, was military-like in its precision and so cleverly executed. There were superb characterisations throughout, with very real relationships between the central characters.

The central character Joe has the most costume changes that I have ever seen in a show and his lightning quick transformations were a potential banana skin. However, in typical Ms. Tighe style, nothing was left to chance and the audience was left scratching heads and picking jaws off the floor as we tried to figure out what sorcery was at play as Joe walked through one door in one costume and came out another door, changed. The use of the ensemble was quite stunning throughout from their superb dancing and singing to their committed performances of a myriad cameo roles. 

Dermot O'Callaghan did a superb job as musical director, bringing the iconic songs from the Madness back catalogue, (as well as Labi Siffre's ‘It Must Be Love’), to life with an exceptionally talented band. I was truly in my element listening to the soundtrack of my youth and its impressively revamped vocal and orchestral arrangements. It was both nostalgic and fresh and, unusually for a jukebox musical, the songs slotted cleverly into the narrative. The music of Madness is, by its nature, very brassy and how wonderful it was to hear the iconic saxophone riffs that were so well featured throughout. Principal singing was top-notch across the board, with some standout vocal performances from both Sarah and Kath in particular. Chorally, there were some very interesting arrangements, and Mr. O'Callaghan had done meticulous work with a very talented principal cast and ensemble. The energy and attack in numbers like ‘Baggy Trousers’ was off the scale and the attention to detail in some beautiful harmony work was very impressive, particularly in the wonderful ‘NW5’ and ‘The Sun and the Rain’. A wonderful job by Mr. O’Callaghan.

It is difficult to find enough superlatives to describe the choreography by Claire Tighe and Jen Dawson which was so brilliantly conceived and executed from start to finish. There was energy, vibrancy, precision, creativity, and technical accuracy that one rarely sees on the amateur stage. Most importantly, the choreography always supported and drove the narrative in a clever, creative way. One by one, each number outdid the one before.‘Our House’ captured the chaotic party atmosphere, brilliantly full of life and carefree abandon. ‘Baggy Trousers’ was an absolutely phenomenal routine, channelling teenage, hormone-fuelled exuberance with unbelievable energy and astonishing performance levels.Think ‘Revolting Children’ on drugs. There were so many highlights in the choreography. ‘Tomorrow's Just Another Day’ was fabulously sharp with marching prisoners, incredible formations, and wonderful synchronicity. ‘Wings of a Dove’ was a powerful opening to Act 2, a blast of colour, exceptional energy, and precision of movement. ‘The Sun and the Rain’ was a brilliantly devised, hilarious take on ‘Who Will Buy,’ with clever use of props, a super kick line and the obligatory, quick change for Joe, cleverly executed. A simply stunning job from Ms. Dawson and Ms. Tighe.

Brian Dalton was hugely impressive as the central protagonist, Joe Casey. This was a superb performance on so many levels. Mr. Dalton's ability to seamlessly morph from law-abiding Joe to lawbreaker Joe was quite astonishing. Add to that his never-ending, insanely fast costume changes and this was quite a remarkable portrayal. There was much complexity to Joe and Mr. Dalton really captured his inner turmoil as he struggled with moral dilemma. Vocally, he was very strong with a superbly expressive delivery and his physicality, which changed depending on which version of Joe he was playing, was excellent throughout. A truly wonderful all-round performance.

Lauren Dooley played Joe's love interest Sarah in a most beautiful and engaging performance. Ms. Dooley is a superb actress, with an exceptional emotional range, and she brought so much depth to this role as she skilfully played Sarah’s journey from working class, love-struck innocence to trainee lawyer in what was a most compelling and captivating portrayal. Her chemistry with Mr. Dalton was exceptional and it was clear that a lot of work had been put into getting this connection exactly right. Ms. Dooley's singing was hugely impressive. ‘NW5’ was the musical highlight of the show for me, in what was a stunningly raw and heartfelt rendition. A superb job from Ms. Dooley.

Jenny McCabe was wonderful as Kath Casey, Joe's mother. This was a powerhouse performance from Ms. McCabe, who used her vast experience to create a multi-layered, utterly real character with razor-sharp wit and emotional depth. Kath has had a tough life but her inner strength was played brilliantly by Ms. McCabe. ‘One Better Day’ was a standout moment musically and dramatically as Ms. McCabe and Joe's Dad played a most beautifully pitched, emotional flashback. Excellent work from a most skilful performer.

Ian Tighe had a full circle moment in playing Joe's deceased father, referred to only as Joe's Dad. Mr. Tighe had previously played Joe with the society in 2011 and how fitting that he should return to the Leixlip stage, fourteen years later, to play this role. His understanding of Joe’s divergent realities added layers to what was a truly wonderful performance from Mr. Tighe. He brought amazing presence and gravitas to the role. Much of the show was spent observing others and that can often be difficult for a performer. However, Mr. Tighe's focus and subtle reactions as various scenes played out, underlined his skill as an actor as he willed Joe to make the right choices in life. ‘One Better Day’ with Ms. McCabe, was a beautifully emotional scene as Kath told him that she was pregnant with Joe.

It is so difficult to separate Sam Lee and Cillian Hogan's performances as Joe’s best mates, Emmo and Lewis, as these two were an inextricably linked comedy duo that bounced off one other, quite literally. They brought tremendous energy and a superb on-stage rapport to their portrayals, looking like something from ‘The Inbetweeners.’ Comic timing was exceptionally good from both and dancing was strong and always in character. Superb work from both.

Likewise, Clíona Nic Shuibhne and Ella Coughlan were an outstanding duo as Billie and Angie, Sarah's best friends. They were sneery, sassy and full of teenage, rebellious attitude, in complete contrast to the sweet demeanour of Sarah. These two worked so brilliantly together. The banter between the two of them was quick-fire, seamless, and so natural. The perfect duo. Vocals were strong but it was their incredible dancing, always in character, that really impressed the most.

Jamie Hennessy looked like he had just stepped off the set of ‘Love/Hate’ as the manipulative Reecey, who was the catalyst for the ill-fated trajectory of law-breaking Joe's narrative. Mr. Hennessy was suitably edgy and looked quite intimidating but I felt that he could have developed the more menacing side of Reecey’s character. Mr. Hennessy sang with a most expressive vocal and very impressive upper register.

Ciarán Tighe, yet another member of the ‘Tighe Dynasty,’ fulfilled the role of antagonist Mr. Pressman, the dodgy property developer. Mr. Tighe played the role with just the right amount of sinisterness, without ever drifting into caricature and he balanced this with an understated comic touch that made him difficult to hate outright. His strong presence and solid vocal made this a very well-rounded portrayal.

What can I say about this ensemble? They were incredible, to a person. They were insanely committed and energetic. There were simply no passengers in this production. Not only did they sing and dance brilliantly, with performance levels that were off the charts, but they also played multiple cameo roles, underlining the incredible strength in depth of the company. 

There really was exceptional work from all. It is almost impossible to single anybody out as performances across the board were exceptional. However, Fionn O’Dwyer, Ben Cole and receptionist Julie were standout ensemble performers.

Stage manager Mary Purcell did a very good job on this opening night's performance. One of the great strengths of the show was how smooth the transitions and the coordination between cast and crew were. The clever set design allowed for great fluidity and the crew capitalised on this to bring the designers’ and director's vision to life in a very pacey, fast-moving show. 

The fabulous framing of a tube station was a wonderful set design concept, bringing to life the urban working-class setting of 1980s London. Simplicity was key in creating an open, fluid performance space with its generously extended apron providing much depth, particularly for the large dance numbers. The upstage raised level and the downstage right upper level provided great staging opportunities. The screen, set behind the centrally positioned broken wall, provided excellent scope for interesting visual elements throughout. The literal sliding doors, both trucked and tracked, were a wonderful theatrical device. 

There was clever use of the steps to form the courtroom scene. Equally clever was the exterior of the Casey Street house, which provided cover for striking the car. Overall, a very clever, visually appealing set, perfectly conceived and finished for the style of show.Lighting was simply stunning from start to finish, brilliantly atmospheric. This was evident from the get go, with brilliant lighting transitions heralding each section of the overture.

Lighting is crucial in driving the narrative of ‘Our House.’ There was great use of colour to emphasise Joe's dual realities. Specials were cleverly used to focus attention during pivotal moments. There were wonderfully clever effects used as reality split into the parallel timelines. I loved the concept of Joe's Dad being lit in blue to create a ghostly, otherworldly atmosphere. However, I did feel, at times, that we lost Mr. Tighe’s expression as things were occasionally too dark. There were far too many lighting highlights to mention here, but ‘NW5’ was stunningly atmospheric and the final cue and picture were beautifully timed.

Sound was very impressive throughout. Cueing was remarkably good. And the band was mixed to perfection. Balance between stage and pit was, for the most part, really well handled and, I have no doubt, will have improved as things bedded in during the run. Sound effects were excellently chosen and cued, adding greatly to the atmosphere and authenticity of the show. The courtroom voiceovers were wonderful with just the right amount of effect. A super job overall.A large part of the technical success of the show was the on-screen graphics which added so much depth to the stage. The ‘Our House’ logo in the pre-set was vivid and bold. ‘Driving in My Car’ featured a brilliant animated sequence, as Joe and co. were transported from road, to rollercoaster, to the sky, to a delightfully absurd Star Wars sequence. Other images included a glitter ball and of course flames added much to the drama in the latter stages of the show. The missing apostrophe in ‘Rays Car Wash’ was unfortunate. When everything else is so good, it is often the small things that stand out. 

There was great attention to detail in the props department, with everything appearing appropriate to the era and the context of the show. The fabulous car was an obvious highlight and there was great fun had with lightsabres, umbrellas, fans, etc. The coffin brought a layer of authenticity and poignancy in the closing stages of the show. 

Attention to detail was also written all over the costume plot for this show, which reflected the cultural backdrop of working-class Camden in the 1980s. Nothing was left to chance. From the school uniforms to the red and black showgirls, to the quirky prison uniforms, to the clever colour scheme at the end of the show, this was a costume team on top of its game. Mr. Pressman was sharply suited and booted and Reecey was edgy and menacing by contrast. Joe's dual costuming worked so well. The amount of thought and meticulous attention to detail that went into this alone, deserved a standing ovation. The work, the timing and, let's face it, the stress that must have gone into getting these changes exactly right was phenomenal. Take a bow all involved.There was excellent attention to detail also in the hair and makeup department. Granddad was well aged and I enjoyed the subtle differences in grooming between law-abiding Joe and law-breaking Joe. 

The ensemble styling complemented the working-class setting perfectly and there was equally appropriate styling for ‘Wings of a Dove’ at the top of Act 2.This was one of those shows where a brilliantly harmonious blend of many elements combined to create something very special indeed. It was a wonderful night’s entertainment, a compelling look at choices and their consequences. The production team made some very bold and creative choices themselves, which were executed with military precision by a very talented cast and crew. It was a joy to watch and to listen to the nostalgic soundtrack of my youth.

Could that day have gotten any better? No. No it couldn’t.

Pat McElwain

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Photos by Elaine Brunton