One of the infamous 27 Club, Janis Joplin’s voice, like Amy Winehouse’s is incomparable. Influenced by the hippie lifestyle in the sixties and seventies and consequential drug and alcohol intake, the deep and raspy sounds that emanated from the tiny singer are otherworldly, and after watching Mary Bridget Davies taking on the role of Janis Joplin at the Windmill Theatre, London, the legend lived on – if only for a night.
A Night With Janis Joplin consisted of a selective bio, resulting in more of a chat show – with JJ as the host. Written and directed by Randy Johnson the two-part show patched pieces of Janis’s short life together, with generous inserts from the soulful icons who inspired her rather than a flowing narrative. Unusually, her male counterparts such as Hendrix who performed at the same legendary Woodstock Festival and Little Richard were not present, so it focuses on the icon who has continuously broken barriers and been influenced by countless artists to celebrate her enduring impact within the music industry.
Davies as the honky tonk Janis and the soul-sisters nailed the show as she belted out Piece of My Heart, Cry Baby and Stay With Me which put Joplin on the map. Her unique voice embodies the spirit of resilience and reinvention. From her groundbreaking hits in the 1970s, she remains an enigma and there is no doubt that Davies has put her heart and soul into becoming the self-destructive blues-rock singer who drank, shagged and drugged herself to death aged 27 in 1970.
The Life of Janis Joplin
Her introduction to blues came from local football player Grant Lyons, who played her the blues for the first time on an old Leadbelly record and this opened her eyes to experimenting with her own voice as she began singing blues and folk music with friends, and styled herself after her female blues heroines, and in part after the beat poets. Moving to San Francisco in 1963, her drug use began to increase, and she acquired a reputation as a “speed freak” and occasional heroin user. She also used other intoxicants. She was a heavy drinker throughout her career, and her trademark beverage was Southern Comfort.
However, her inspiration was born from the soul and whilst Davies took a break, the stage was filled with the harmonies of Kalisha Amaris, Georgia Bradshaw, Choolwe Laina Muntanga and Danielle Steers who are the ‘Joplinaires’ and took turns to double as some of Joplin’s musical influences and contemporaries. Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith, Odetta and Etta James all get moments in a look at some of the greatest musicians there have ever been.
Perhaps Joplin’s most well-known tune is “Mercedes-Benz”, written in collaboration with beat poet Michael McClure, so when we hear this, it’s a giveaway that the show is coming to a climax – which, mirroring Janis’ short-lived life due to a heroin overdose aged 27, abruptly ends on a high.
A Night with Janis Joplin began in the US in 2011 and was an immediate success, touring for the next two years and breaking box office records at nearly every theatre. In October 2013, the show opened on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre to rave reviews and has been touring the US ever since. The show also played in Japan in 2022 at the Tokyo International Forum Hall. Mary Bridget Davies played the role of Janis Joplin for both the touring and Broadway productions, receiving a Tony Award® nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance.
For more information on Janis Joplin The Musical, including potential tour dates, see online.
