The Best Blues Brothers Show In The World… Ever!

Published Wednesday 4 May 2005 at 15:50 by Mark Ritchie

The still burgeoning UK tribute market currently boasts more Jake and Elwoods than you can shake a stick at.

Such is the public’s appetite for tributes that when something on this scale comes along as a theatre package, it is clearly going to being gobbled up by those hungry for the full effect of a truly live Blues Brothers show.

Ostensibly, this show is a tribute to a movie. So-called genre tributes must pay attention to fine detail and I should start by commenting on the accuracy of the Belushi and Ackroyd impressions here from two performers who, such is their commitment to the cause of this production, have reportedly both changed their names by deed poll to Joliet Jake Blues and Elwood J Blues.

The Black Rhino band features a four-piece brass section and totals ten musicians and vocalists, who form the show’s engine room. All are involved at some stage in either a humorous or musical way.

Armed with an impressive set and augmented musically by the harmonica skills of ‘Elwood’, the overall effect here is both powerful and intoxicating. Copious amounts of beer are both consumed and spilt onstage and the Brothers never slip out of character.

This is a rather sketchy narrative, delivered mainly in ad-lib form between the songs, which fastens the show together. However, the virtual full house at this theatre was dancing in the aisles throughout, so perhaps too much fine detail on a story that everyone knows by heart would be largely superfluous.