Black Blues Brothers: Let’s Twist Again! circus review – Acrobatics, rhythm and soul
The hugely-likeable Kenyan troupe combines breathtaking acrobatics with slick choreography and a joyous soundtrack
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Glenn Miller’s on the station stereo and five sharply dressed men in trenchcoats and shades have missed their train. How fortunate for us that rather than getting stuck into an opportunist Greggs and some quality scroll-time while waiting for the next one, they choose instead to shed those coats, fire up the jukebox and backflip, dive, jive and somersault across the stage in a series of ever more complicated balances and configurations.
The Kenyan troupe who make up the Brothers are as spectacularly skilled as any of the other circus troupes on the Fringe. They can pile up a five-man human sculpture, cannonball their bodies through a series of tiny hoops, fling and catch each other, and even turn themselves into a moving acrobatic train at one point. What sets this show apart then? Well, the music is fabulous, a paean to mid-century rock and blues from Sam Cooke to Aretha Franklin. Not only that but the troupe really lean into it, incorporating bursts of choreography and slick musical timing into their routines. They are a hugely likeable group of performers with boundless energy. When the train finally comes you’re left wishing the platform party could go on all night.
Black Blues Brothers: Let’s Twist Again!, Underbelly Bristo Square, until 31 August, 5pm; picture: Ryan Warburton.