FORM-Idea

By Michelle Inniss

At A Night of the Blues, we were transported to the intimate space of a back porch in America’s Deep South as Circles Productions brought a new type of show to the Iris Theatre’s Workin Process night. An exciting mix of both a concert taking us on a journey throughout Blues’ history and a mini-musical, Crossroads, book and directed by Beverly Andrews, with lyrics by Tim Sutton and score composed by Sutton and Hugh Burns.

Hugh Burns, who has played with the likes of the legendary Michael Jackson and George Michael, in his collaboration with Beverley Andrews created an engaging concert through their selection of an array of different voices matched perfectly to their songs. Malcolm Connell and Eli Caldwell sang powerful renditions of ‘Georgia’ by Ray Charles, and ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by Georgia Turner and Bert Martin respectively. Mauricia Lewis’ delicate rendition of Gershwin’s ‘Summer Time’ gave us a taste of a different mood in America’s Deep South and Oliver Hamilton brought a whole lot of verve to his performance of ‘St Louis Blues’ by W C Handy in which he also played the fiddle. Burns began the concert giving a touching speech describing not only what the blues means to him but also the way in which the blues has informed so many styles of music since its inception. He then brought the Blues into full swing throughout the entire theatre with his musical accompaniment.

Crossroads is a vivid reimagining of the hours leading up Robert Johnson’s unexpected death. We meet the legendary American Blues singer-songwriter and musician packing his bag in order to follow the promise of success which awaits him in the form of a concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Crossroads is a story of love and betrayal with twists and laughs thrown in, it asks us to reflect on what success really means if we turn our backs on the friends and families who have been instrumental in us reaching that dream. The Stranger (Malcom Connell) who delivers a captivating, stand out performance. The passionate to and fro song between him and Eli Caldwell (playing Robert Johnson) is a highlight of the piece bringing to a head the more quietly emotional performances by Mauricia Lewis as The Girl and Oliver Hamilton as Whisky Red. Mauricia Lewis and Oliver Hamilton deliver vulnerable performances which evoke sympathy. Andrews’ gift to Eli Caldwell is of also injecting these two characters stories with humour as The Girl exacts a fatal revenge allowing for Caldwell to shine in a complex role which has both sharp edges and a soft vulnerability. Tim Sutton’s gorgeous lyrics and his and Burn’s sultry composition captures the heart, soul and spirit of the blues.

I was more than pleased to see the evening’s finale welcome back Connell to the mic to sing Got My Mojo Working by Preston "Red" Foster , after an earlier barn storming rendition of Mannish Boy by Muddy Waters – his bassy singing voice is one you want to hear more of even after the mini-musical had ended. Connell was joined by the cast, Beverly Andrews, Tim Sutton and friends and we were invited to dance for peace in grand New Orleans style. From start to finish A Night of the Blues transported us to another world where music and passionate emotion is the norm – a world which we could all learn from and travel to more often. Beverly Andrews delivered an inspiring event as a producer and writer, I can only conclude that if you have a love for theatre sign up for anything with Beverly Andrews name on it – she is definitely one to watch!

FΩRMIdea London, 1st April 2018.