Dockers – Ambassador Theatre – Review
by Fran Winston

Ambassador Theatre, Parnell Square South, Upper O’Connell Street, Rotunda, Dublin 1.
Runs until April 12th, 7.30pm nightly. Tickets from €23.65

This musical, which explores the history of the Dublin docks, first debuted in Liberty Hall Theatre last year and is back for a second run in the iconic Ambassador Theatre.  The venue is close enough to the docklands to make this show all the more thought-provoking as You’re A Star alum George Murphy and multi-instrumentalist and singer Tara Howley share stories and original songs about the historic area.

Dockers was written by Gary Brown, a native Dubliner and son of a docker, so there is a sense of authenticity to the stories and the images that flash on a screen at the back of the stage to help illustrate the tales.

Murphy is Jacko Dunne, a Dublin docker, who, having failed to be selected to work, takes to the bar to sing his songs to make some money. This conceit allows him to recount his life on Dublin’s waterfront while Howley plays Nora, his cousin and the manager of the bar.

Although a two-hander, this feels like a much bigger show, helped in no small part by the soaring songs written by Damien Dempsey, Gary Brown and Murphy himself. Although the tracks are new, they are steeped in the history of the area.

While the hardship of the docker’s lifestyle, which, like so many jobs, has been lost to “progress”, isn’t skirted over, this show also contains a lot of humour and it has a massive amount of heart. Both performers are incredibly engaging, and it is also educational for those who may not be familiar with the history of the area.

Some of the references, naturally, are very parochial, which made me wonder how this show would travel, as there are certain elements I felt required at least a working knowledge of Irish or Dublin culture. That aside, this is an extremely entertaining show that sweeps you along in the storytelling.