Fringe favourites the Black Blues Brothers are back with a brand-new show, fit for the whole family. After wowing over 50,000 fringe spectators, the Brothers make their McEwan Hall debut. Set in a smoky train station against a soundtrack of unforgettable rock and roll music, witness breathtaking acrobatic stunts, human pyramids and amazing somersaults. Featuring songs by Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, get ready to go wild as the Brothers astonish and delight. Following four successful Fringe seasons, appearances at the Royal Variety Show and The Moulin Rouge, don’t miss out!
Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show/event/performance is?
Let’s Twist Again! is the new show from the Black Blues Brothers. After four years at the Fringe with our first show, we’ve decided to bring a new one, with new music, new sets, and above all, new stunts! Expect the same rock ‘n’ roll vibes and brand-new sky-soaring stunts!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
We created the show together with our producer and director Alexander Sunny. The idea was to transport the acrobatic tradition of our country, Kenya, into an unusual context: that’s why the show is set in a train station waiting room. We also like to play with music: while in the first show we drew inspiration from the soundtrack of the movie The Blues Brothers, this time we chose big American hits, focusing especially on twist and rock ‘n’ roll: Twistin’ the night away, Blue Moon, Just a gigolo and songs by Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chubby Checker, Glenn Miller and Keith Emerson accompany a dynamic and fun repertoire of human pyramids, backflips, rope stunts and much more!
How does it feel coming to the Fringe?
This is our fifth time at the Fringe. And each time is different: this year is a new challenge, with a new show in a new venue, the beautiful McEwan Hall. We care about entertaining the Edinburgh audiences, who have always shown us immense affection, welcoming our performances with standing ovations. This year will be no different! Attending the Fringe can be stressful, but if you stop and think about being at the heart of the world’s best festival, you’ll find the right energy.
With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?
There are so many acrobatic shows, and many are truly beautiful. We believe ours is unique because it combines virtuosity with fun: in Let’s Twist Again! we perform even more difficult acrobatic exercises than those in the first show. And the music! You rarely see acrobats dancing to the rhythm of the Twist, and I’m sure the audience won’t be able to resist either!
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
Ours is a show for everyone: children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly. What unites such a diverse audience is amazement: they often remain speechless. This is our goal: to raise a smile and make their eyes widen in wonder.
Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?
We’ve performed all over the world: from Australia to the United Arab Emirates, and all over Europe. The ideal audience… is one that lets itself be carried away. On stage, we give it our all, and it’s wonderful to see these vibes resonate with the audience. Their interaction isn’t taken for granted: it’s a dialogue. So when there are open-minded people in the audience, curious to see what crazy stunt we’ll come up with, and ready to celebrate with us, we’re happy.
Who shouldn’t be there? No one: we’re sure everyone will find something to love about our show.
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
Relaxing at the Fringe is complicated, but essential. The trick is to plan, and then throw the plan away! You need to be flexible and be able to embrace the changes that will inevitably arise over the course of the month. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up relaxation; on the contrary, it becomes even more important to carve out some time for yourself.
Among the shows we can’t wait to see: Wolf by Circa and Wow by Kalabantè.
In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, performance, and the industry?
The risk with such a large festival is obviously its gigantism, which on the one hand allows for a vast cultural offering but on the other risks rewarding only the big names. Perhaps a good compromise is to strengthen policies, both internal and external to the Fringe, to make the festival truly accessible to all artists from around the world.
Black Blues Brothers runs at Venue 302: Underbelly, Bistro Square – McEwan Hall
Runs: July 31st- August 25th
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’