A night with Janis Joplin the musical

B.B Kings described the Blues, which originated from enslaved African Americans, as “the language we invented to let people know we had something to say”. Unfortunately, despite every effort of lead Mary Bridget Davis, 'An evening with Janis Joplin: the musical' is a whitewashed take on the genre which manages not to say very much at all.

There is no doubt that Janis Joplin was an influential figure. In her short 27 years, her forbidding, soulful voice penned her down in history as an unlikely, white, Blues star. There’s no doubt that Mary Bridget Jones shares her talent, her belting vocals nailing hits like ‘piece of my heart’ and ‘cry baby’. This paired with her erratic mannerisms and wry sense of humor was simply apparitional of the real deal.

Despite the success of songs, the baggy narrative of Janis’s life drags on and on, despite the best efforts of booze swigging Mary. Whilst musical cameos bring to life Joplin's influences, like Kalisha Amaris’ Aretha Franklin and Danielle Sear’s Bessie Smith, you leave knowing little more about Janis or the Blues movement that inspired her.

In over two hours, the show swerves essential and challenging themes, from the addiction at the center of Janis’s life to the complications of a white woman singing the Blues. In fact the African American heritage of the genre is completely avoided. Instead the Blues is described as ‘the want’ of something. For middle class Janis: a drinking partner or another cheap bottle of wine. These musings feel cringingly misjudged.

All of this takes place on a lantern clad set, which do evoke feelings of psychedelic nostalgia. We are told the show is a ‘rock concert’, but the Peacock theater, with its crowded, bouncy seats, is not the best venue for a knees up. The audience do get on their feet throughout, but only after a lot of uncomfortable bartering from the stage.

Margeret and co would make a wonderful tribute act. The sheer musical talent in the show is faultless. However in its current half baked format, ‘An evening with Janis Joplin: the musical’ left me yearning for something deeper.