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A CurtainUp 
London Review
London ReviewBlues in the Night
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"Four walls and a dirty window." — lyric
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Sharon D Clarke as The Woman
(Photo: Marilyn Kingwill) |
Set in a far from luxurious hotel in Chicago in 1939, the story is composed around songs recorded by Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox and Ida Cox and others. The storyline is loose but the music is fabulous as they sing the songs that get them through the night. Sharon D Clarke's lady with her ostrich feather fans looks back on her career and spills the beans on the other people in the hotel. Two male dancers — one a waiter, one in a suit— provide the choreography.
"It Makes My Love come Down", Bessie Smith's sexy song, is interpreted by Sharon D Clarke with characterful verve. Clive Rowe counters with "Wild Women Don't Have the Blues". Sharon D Clarke sings "Kitchen Man" with its popular but lewd lyrics. In character in the second act she says of The Man, "I can't stand him, but he sure can sing." I loved Paulette Ivory's rendition of "Rough and Ready Man". All four join in with Jimmy Cox's "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" which starts a magnificent build towards the end of the show.
It is a real treat to hear these British great performers deliver the full emotion of the Blues to an audience on its feet in the Hackney Empire, one of Frank Matcham's great London theatres.
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| Blues in the Night
Conceived and originally directed by Sheldon Epps Directed by Susie McKenna Starring: Clive Rowe, Sharon D Clarke, Paulette Ivory, Gemma Sutton Dancers: KM Drew Boateng, Ryan Reid Choreography by Frank Thompson Design: Lotte Collett Lighting: David W Kidd Musical Direction: Mark Dickman Sound Design: Avgoustos Psillas for Autograph Running time: Two hours 20 minutes including one interval Box Office: 020 8985 2424 Booking to 41th May2014 Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 25th April 2014 performance at The ney Empire, Mare Street, London E8 (Rail/Overground: Hackney Central) |
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Musical Numbers
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Act One
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Act Two
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