When the night is almost over, the musicians come out to play. That’s the theme behind the marvelously constructed Low Down Dirty Blues at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s intimate Stackner Cabaret. The nightclub setting is perfect for an evening of fun that threatens to shake, rattle and roll the roof right off the theater.
Big Mama (Felicia P. Fields), a Chicago entertainer, has invited some musician friends to her makeshift jazz club. Three male friends show up to let off some steam after the evening’s performance. Fields makes it clear from the outset that Big Mama is in charge. She lets the other singers and dancers have their way – to a point. The show is a cavalcade of rarely heard blues hits by black performers such as Ma Rainey, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, etc. Even if these names don’t strike a familiar chord, it’s not difficult to see how such music influenced later performers such as Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Low Down Dirty Blues is the creation of Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman, who cobbled together 22 songs that tell a chapter in the blues’s history. The show had a successful run at Chicago’s Northlight Theater in 2010.
Mama starts the show with “They Call Me Big Mama,” and she demonstrates via body language exactly what she’s talking about. If the lesson hasn’t sunk in yet, she lets loose with “Rough and Ready” and “Jump My Pony,” (one of the show’s best-choreographed numbers). In “Come on in My Kitchen.” She leaves no doubt what men will find cooking when they arrive. Fields is partnered with an equally large presence in the form of Caron “Sugaray” Rayford. He is certainly Mama’s match in songs such as “Shake Your Money Maker,” and “Big Leg Woman.” His rich baritone voice squeezes the notes or belts them out according to the song’s lyrics. His guttural yearnings suggest a big appetite for what Mama can provide. Although Mama remains in control, she is not afraid of flirting occasionally. A couple of times she takes the flirting into the audience, too. Another singer, Chic Street Man, is as long and lean as Sugaray is big and hefty. Playing a wicked slide guitar and several other instruments, he also has some suggestive songs up his sleeve. One of the best is “Crawlin’ King Snake.”
The performers are teamed with talented pianist Robert Stephens, who gets a few riffs in the show and is impressive throughout.
Although there’s not one naughty word in the entire show, the suggestive lyrics and gyrations make it clear that this is not a show for kiddies. It may not even be the best choice for a first date, especially for a chaste couple who may find the “low and dirty” songs a bit more than they bargained for.
As with past music productions at the Stackner, this show is linked together by the songs and scattered bits of dialogue. We learn where the musicians come from, and how they got to Chicago. Their reality is far from the American Dream. One wishes some of the Act II dialogue would come earlier in the show, demonstrating why hard living, bad times and lost love are the backbone of the blues. The characters make some good points when they suggest how the blues “has changed color” in recent years. According to them, it’s now more “green,” in terms of white people who seek to make a profit out of it. In the few sentences devoted to recording the blues, Chic Street Man speaks out about artists who are coerced by music producers into singing their music in a way that’s more commercial. “If I can’t sing it my way, I don’t want to sing it at all,” he says, with a note of disgust.
Some of the more heartfelt tunes – which come near the end of the show – slow things down a bit. Fields works her magic with “I’d Rather Go Blind (than see you walk away from me)” and “Good Morning Heartache.” On the same level, Sugaray is reminded of how much he loved his woman in “Death Letter.” As Saturday night turns into Sunday morning, the singers unite in singing a gospel tune. Production elements place all the audience’s attention on the performers, without getting in their way. This includes Colette Pollard’s subtle set design, Janice Pytel’s colorful but muted costumes, and Robert Perry’s lighting, which slowly must transition from late Saturday night to Sunday morning. Low Down Dirty Blues is a real treat for music lovers and those who seek quality entertainment.
