He’s starred in some of the country’s biggest musicals and toured with dancing phenomenon 'Riverdance', and for two glorious nights Irish-born performer Bobby Fox brought a taste of Ireland to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with his spectacular show ‘The Irish Boy’.
A brilliant combination of traditional and modern Irish music, storytelling and dance, ‘The Irish Boy’ was an entertaining show which celebrated Irish music and culture.As the eclectically dressed band took their places on stage, Bobby emerged wearing a traditional Irish kilt and joking that the freezing temperatures of opening night (14 June) mirrored a typical day in his beloved homeland. Wasting no time, the talented band launched into the show's energetic opening number and from the moment Bobby began to sing, the audience was hooked. Over the course of 70 minutes he took the audience on a breathtaking ride through Ireland’s rich musical culture, sharing anecdotes about his childhood and career along the way.
At one point during the show Bobby passionately described Irish music as “joy” and “life”, and after watching his performance I couldn’t agree more.
His powerful voice was beautifully complemented by the music from the band (which included the obligatory Irish Fiddle), and together they perfectly captured the energy and emotion of every song they played. From the fast-paced energy of 'Rocky Road To Dublin' to the heartbreaking sorrow of 'The Fields of Athenry', you could feel the emotion rolling off the stage and it was so easy to lose yourself in the moment.
A natural performer, Bobby was clearly relishing his time on stage; dancing and clapping his way through each song and sometimes closing his eyes and swaying with the music as though he could actually feel each note as it rolled across the room. His obvious passion for his heritage and the humorous chemistry he shared with his bandmates made the show an absolute joy to watch.
Bobby boasts the impressive title of (former) Four Time World Irish Dancing Champion and while he gave the audience a teasingly short demonstration of his skills during the show, I would have loved to have seen more.
A stunning show from start to finish, ‘The Irish Boy’ left me wanting to reconnect with my own Irish heritage and I was humming the tunes long after the curtains closed.
