Bobby Fox: The Irish Boy

The life of the Stage Whispers’ reviewer is unpredictable. This is not really the kind of show that the magazine reviews, ordinarily, but when the call out for reviewers arrived in my inbox, I jumped at the opportunity. The reason? I LOVE everything Irish. Part of my ancestry is from Irish convicts. I’m drawn to the countryside, the music, the history, the folklore, the people...everything. So, I said yes before I had even read the press release. It was only then that I noted that Mr Fox was actually an expat Irishman, who had been wowing Australian audiences over the past decade or so in smash musicals such as Jersey Boys and Hot Shoe Shuffle. 

Then I read further that he was also a four-time Irish Dancing World Champion and had toured the world for several years with the phenomenally successful Riverdance. So the jolly little night of Irish trad music and a bit of craic that I was expecting, going by the title alone, ended up being quite a lot more than I’d bargained for. 

This man is annoyingly talented. He can sing - beautifully; dance - astonishingly; plays multiple instruments prodigiously (as well as being a dab-hand with a looper) and is a gifted communicator and raconteur. It was really heart-warming to hear him tell of how he had only recently developed a strong appreciation of his heritage and his born-again affection for his homeland oozed out of every pore with every song he sang, lending genuine intimacy and connection with his audience. The fact that his ‘Mam’ was present at this World Premiere was the froth on top of the Guinness. 

While the audience quite possibly could have been at least partly made up of his musical theatre following, the mood in the room was palpable. Everyone was there for the craic and to connect to their own Irishness, be it immediate or generations previous. The mood from the first rate band on stage reflected the same sentiment. Surprisingly, none of the rest of band are Irish, but you certainly couldn’t tell. All of them were completely immersed in the sheer joy (and at times downright reverence) they all had for the music with which they had recently fallen in love. My only criticism would be that the Studio Theatre at the ‘House’ has a floor-level stage, so it was difficult to watch Bobby’s fancy footwork without having to crane one’s neck. If this show comes to a town near you, I hope the stage is raised at eye level. This man’s skills need to be enjoyed to the fullest.

Rose Cooper

Photographer: Robert Catto