Blues in the Night
Yvette Freeman Hartley’s director’s note tells us that this musical revue sings “the tale of three women and one man’s broken love life while living in a cheap Chicago hotel in 1938.” And there are nods in that direction: Anise Ritchie’s Lady from the Road pauses in her perusal of her scrapbook to let us know that Ciarra Stroud’s Girl with a Date has a broken heart and is looking to mend it with new love, and that Karole Foreman’s Woman of the World used to be a big deal, but now it’s just cheap wine from a fancy decanter. But Elijah Rock’s Man in the Saloon remains something of an enigma —and come to think of it, he doesn’t seem all that blue.
Actually once the songs start in, neither do the girls — Lady from the Road takes a happy, naughty stroll down memory lane with “Take Me for a Buggy Ride,” Girl with a Date is excitedly “Taking a Chance on Love,” and even Woman of the World dreamily recalls “Stompin’ at the Savoy.” Those are good songs, and they’re sung by good, distinctive singers. But they’re nobody’s idea of blues. Really, there’s a lot more sex than sadness in the lyrics — “Kitchen Man” very nearly cuts its double entendres to singles with lines like “Oh how that boy can open clams, no one else can baste my hams” —especially in the first act.
It’s a fine performance, but after a while, you might start to wish for more of a narrative through-line. You’ve got a man up there on stage —why not use him to give those ladies a right to sing the blues? Yes, they do sing that one: act two is a little heavier on the suffering and sorrow, but only a little. Director Hartley’s note goes on to assure you that Blues in the Night “will take you on a bouncing, soulful buggy ride through love that will help wipe away any blues you may have,” and that’s probably a better description of what’s going on here. It’s a feel-good show, not a feel-bad one.
When
Ongoing until Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm & 7pm |
| Wednesdays, 7pm |
| Thursdays, 8pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |
| Saturdays, 2pm & 8pm |