The acrobatic celebration that’s thrilled the world returns again to Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Taking place from Thursday, August 3 to Sunday, August 27 in the Assembly Rooms on George Street, The Black Blues Brothers troupe will mount their show with old-school soul and cutting-edge acrobatics.

The Fringe’s best physical theatre show 2022 (Theatre Weekly) is coming back to Edinburgh for the third time this summer. Wowing audiences with their acrobatic prowess, The Black Blues Brothers bring flips, tricks, firey limbo, human pyramids, hilarious gags, and dance challenges like you’ve never seen, and all to the soulful tempo of The Blues Brothers’ music.

This acrobatic tribute to the cult movie The Blues Brothers has established itself as a must-see international show with a highly-acclaimed world tour of more than 800 dates and 500,000 spectators. The troupe has even performed at the Royal Variety Performance (introduced by King Charles III), presented their show to Pope Francis, and garnered critical acclaim at Monte Carlo Circus Festival, the most important circus event in the world. If The Blues Brothers were a band trying to put themselves back together again, the Black Blues Brothers are an acrobatic group who perform on stage every night, bringing us a party full of dazzling moments set to the sweeping sounds of the cult movie’s soundtrack, one of the greatest pop legends of our time.

In an elegant Cotton Club-style lounge bar, a cleaner is chasing his dream of becoming one of the Blues Brothers when two characters, dressed in the iconic suits of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, offer him a chance to make his dreams come true with some help from them and his two colleagues. Following the whims of an extravagant vintage radio playing rhythm ‘n’ blues music (including “Gimme Some Lovin’,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” and “Soul Man”), the barman and the whole staff transform into performers doing balancing acts, waving flags, jumping and performing acrobatics with fire. The stage brims with flawless bodies flying through the air executing tricky stunts with a smile always on their faces, using everything around them: every object (chairs, tables, hangers, vases, and even mirrors) becomes a tool for breathtaking acrobatics and audience involvement.

With their amazing tricks, The Black Blues Brothers remind all of us that everything is possible when you have passion and are willing to let yourself try. Everybody needs someone to love, and The Black Blues Brothers need you, you, and you to get up and get down with them! This exciting acrobatic ensemble was trained in Sarakasi, a trust that teaches acrobatics and dance to the youth of Nairobi and surrounding areas. There they met Alexander Sunny, Circus Historian and Professor of History of the Circus and Street Performances, with whom they created this original and mind-blowing show.

☆☆☆☆☆”The audience couldn’t get enough” (Theatre Weekly)

☆☆☆☆☆”No excuse to miss it” (Global Post Media)

☆☆☆☆☆”Highly recommended” (All About Entertainment)

☆☆☆☆☆”Energy and charisma in abundance, A great family night out” (One 4 Review)

☆☆☆☆☆”BEST CIRCUS SHOW.  Jake and Elwood would have loved it” (The Advertiser)

“The fearlessness in their tumbles and hand-balances, the ease with which they fly and flip into the air, then plunge to the floor speaks of years of focussed training… Into our hearts” (The Scotsman)

The Black Blues Brothers

Thursday 3rd–Sunday 27th August 2023, 15:05

at the Assembly Rooms (Music Hall), 54 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2LR

Running Time  60 minutes

Writer and Director   Alexander Sunny

With   Bilal Musa
Huka Rashid
Amini Kulembwa
Seif Mohamed Mlevi
Peter Mnyamosi Obunde
Mohamed Salim Mwakidudu

Choreography   Electra Preisner and Ahara Bischoff

Scenography   Siegfried Preisner, Loredana Nones, and Studiobazart

Lighting designer   Andrew Broom

Box Office Tickets are available from www.assemblyfestival.com

Press release and images shared by Chloe Nelkin. Photo credits: Gabriele Tomè