Savoy Theatre – 4 August 2019
Reviewed by Elizabeth J Smith
3***
The Blues Brothers are an iconic duo, with many audience members dressing up to pay homage to their heroes. When released back in 1980 it took America and the rest of the world by storm and their album sold millions of copies and became the biggest selling blues album ever. So with that as a back ground story how could two lads from up North compete?
The show opens with a fun video of the brothers in their personalised American police car chasing through the street’s of London. Setting the scene for a high speed, racy evening.
The band enter the stage and when they start to play you know you’re in for a good night, their enthusiasm, both musically and physically is infectious. They have your toes tapping before the main men arrive.
Jake and Elwood burst onto the stage and have the audience clapping and singing along instantly.
Chris Hindle, Jake Blues, is a large lad as the character dictates but his stamina and athleticism leaves you breathless. His voice is soulful, however, I’m not sure he could hear the band all that well as some tunes were a little off key!
Gareth Davey, Elwood Blues, also jumps about the stage with electricity running through his bones. His deep baritone voice suits many a tune and the combination of the two works well.
The soul sisters all sang extremely expertly but I wasn’t feeling the Motown vibe. Perhaps a more traditional Motown costume would help add to the experience. Their moves were predictable and not very timely.
Overall, the Chicago Blues Brothers left me feeling a little less West End debut, more cruise ship entertainment. It didn’t have the polish of a Westend show. But it didn’t stop the audience from stomping their feet and clapping their hands and dancing in the aisles.
If this show was to make it too a West End theatre for a run it would need more direction and better choreography.
I felt it was a diamond in the rough that could do with a good polish.