I was very disappointed that heavy traffic prevented me from attending the press night of THE BLUES BROTHERS: XMAS SPECIAL at the Arts Theatre last night. It sounds great fun.
THE BLUES BROTHERS of course was a 1980 American musical crime comedy film directed by John Landis. It stared John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from "The Blues Brothers" musical sketch on the NBC variety series SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
The film features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker and it’s this genre of music which this spin off theatre presentation showcases and celebrates including soul and rock ’n’ roll classics like GIMME SOME LOVIN’, THINK, SOUL MAN, MINNIE THE MOOCHER and JAILHOUSE ROCK. The original film involves two petty criminal’s inept attempts to stage a fundraising R&B concert to save the orphanage where they grew up.
David Kristopher-Brown and Joshua Mumby play Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, with Simon Ray Harvey taking on the role of Ray. We’re told it’s all been approved by Dan Aykroyd and Belushi’s widow, and features new, previously unheard material for the brothers.
David Kristopher-Brown was most recently seen in the ensemble of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Together with Joshua Mumby, he previously featured in the BLUES BROTHERS in 2012 at the Lowry Theatre and at the Edinburgh Festival. Mumby recently performed in LP Creatives’ national tour of HANSEL & GRETEL in the title role, and as Henry in AN IDEAL WORLD (Trafalgar Studios). Simon Ray Harvey has just finished performing the role of Bobby/Delray in MEMPHIS, and has also recently been seen in Billy Elliot and the UK Tour of FLASHDANCE.
I had a great time at previous BLUES BROTHERS related theatre, the kind but stupid characters are so loveable and the music so infectiously catchy. I expect to enjoy this one too and if it’ll also make me feel Christmassy then even better.
If you're British you probably know that the UK's traditional Christmas theatre is Pantomime. It's a multi-million pound industry, most theatres which don't house long running shows will present one, most kids will have been taken to such a show and many grow up taking their own off-spring to a pantomime every Christmas too.