Robert Arkin's Commitments

Over 35 years ago I took part in auditions for a film being made by Alan Parker in my home City of Dublin. The film was ‘The Commitments’, based on a book by local writer Roddy Doyle. It told the story of a young Dublin ‘hustler’, Jimmy Rabbitte, who puts together a band of local musicians with the intention of turning them into a world famous group playing Dublin Soul. Sure, we know how that turned out. I played Jimmy Rabbitte, Wilson didn’t turn up and the rest is history. But it was a special time in my life and I enjoyed every minute of it alongside the other actors, some of whom I still see now. The film is still remembered fondly and I’m often stopped on the streets of Dublin where I still live, and asked to recount some of the script lines with people (say it once and say it loud….).