AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’

“Man that fool is fat and greasy. Hot or cool he’s fat and greasy”

A review by Tanya Howard

Celebrating the legendary jazz musician Fats Waller and his energetic, bubbly and at times hilarious music, example one in the lyrics above from the song Fat and Greasy.

Ain’t Misbehaving took the audience back to the 1920’s, to a raunchy nightclub in Manhattan as a group of five performers and a jumping band took us on a journey of a defining period of American music history. Musicians were free to experiment with new styles, and joints were jumpin’ with talented dancers, singers and instrumentalists jamming to a new beat known as swing.

Directed by Tyrone Huntley and choreographed by Oti Mabuse, in both their debuts, this production is the first London revival in almost 25 years. With sparkly costumes and a set of bronze and gold it’s not just the accessories that are glittering but the entire show, singers, dancing and the band.

The performers not only made the most of every inch of the dancefloor, but also the aisles of the audience seating getting everyone involved. They had us singing along with some of Fats’ hits, interacting with specific members and just letting their bubbly and energetic personalities wash over the crowd putting everyone in a great mood.

Adrian Hansel, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Landi Oshinowo, Renee Lamb and Wayne Robinson were the five performers, with Elias Jordan Atkinson (Trumpet), Blake Cascoe (Drums), Mebrakh Haughton-Johnson (Clarinet/Saxaphone) and Ruben Ramos Medina (Bass) as their musicians. They had bold and vivacious personalities and put all their energy into every single song, bringing all the sass levels.

There is no overline storyline to the show, only within the individual songs, but the transition between songs were effortless. Each act had 15 songs and mixed up the dancing styles, from soft shuffles, to robust Charleston’s, lively Jitterbug’s and more. The performers all had great chemistry and played off each so well, whether it was a song that portrayed a love story or an inevitable catfight between the woman. This is one party you won’t want to miss!

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