Show name: Black Blues Brothers: Let’s Twist Again!
Performers:
Venue: McEwan Hall at Underbelly, Bristo Square
Date and time: Saturday 15th August, 5pm
Ticket prices: £26.50
Rating: ★★★ 3/5
Reviewer: Sarah Turnbull
The Black Blues Brothers are back at McEwan Hall with Let’s Twist Again!, a slick, good-natured hour of dance-led acrobatics set in a smoky train station and soundtracked by ’50s and ’60s jukebox hits. It’s big-room entertainment delivered with a grin — think Royal Variety or, yes, top-tier cruise ship headliners, in the best possible sense: tightly drilled, upbeat and built to send a mixed crowd out smiling.
The setup is simple and stylish: trench coats, dark shades, a pay phone that never quite brings good news and a jukebox that spins golden oldies. Chubby Checker, Sam Cooke and Elvis keep toes tapping while the five-strong Kenyan troupe move through a sequence of skits and acro-dance routines. The pacing is calibrated for broad appeal: a scene-setting station intro, then a carousel of short, tidy numbers that build in scale and showmanship.
The acrobatics are neatly arranged rather than nail-biting. Hoop-diving progresses from single rings to layered sets with tighter gaps; the limbo glides pleasingly low; skipping-rope tricks are like you’ve never seen before. Human pyramids are the signature image — symmetrical, steady stacks that resolve in a clean headstand balanced on a teammate — impressive for control and clarity more than shock value. A couple of faux wobbles at the stage edge and a pendulum swing teasing towards the front rows add a whiff of peril without ever tipping beyond a “safe thrill”. On the night I attended, one marquee moment didn’t quite settle; they touched it, couldn’t hold it and sensibly moved on with a smooth recovery.
Between routines, a silent comic thread keeps things buoyant: one brother’s romantic dramas via the pay phone; a running coin toss that finally lands his way (by which time the mood has shifted). There’s friendly audience play, too — a front-row flirtation, a bit of height-based ribbing and a volunteer brought up for a chivalrous wooing skit. The humour is deliberately vintage and lands warmly, especially with older theatregoers, while still reading as inclusive and family-friendly.
They sell every finish with open-armed showman flourishes and look as if they’re having a great time. The choreography threads simple twist steps through the acrobatics so the dance never feels like an add-on; it’s an integrated style built for big rooms and mixed crowds. Families around me were fully on board, and older audience members in particular seemed to relish the soundtrack and the clean lines of the tricks.
If your Fringe tastes run to grit, experimentation or risk-forward circus, you may find this too safe and a touch formulaic. But as a high-gloss crowd-pleaser, it’s very effective. The show knows its market — think Royal Variety and, yes, even cruise ships — and serves it with warmth, precision and professionalism.
In short: not groundbreaking, but reliably enjoyable. Go for the feel-good buzz, the tidy stacks and the jukebox comfort; stay for the charisma.
