From Broadway comes this biopic music celebrating the life of iconic musician Janis Joplin. Opening last week at the Peacock Theatre, this new London arrival stars consummate performer and Tony Nominee Mary Bridget Davies in the role she originated. A Night with Janis Joplin takes the form of a raucous concert at the peak of Joplin's fame, including many of her greatest hits, ('Mercedes Benz' and 'Piece Of My Heart' among them) while also detailing the public trials, tribulations, and inspirations of her short, but influential life. Check out what the critics had to say about this rocking show below!

The Reviews:

The Standard: Ongoing and recent West End shows devoted to Tina Turner and Bob Marley proved that compilation musicals need not be vacuous, but this one absolutely is. Although Davies convincingly invokes the blood, sweat and tears of Joplin in full flight, the overall effect is hollow.

London Theatre: The call-and-response feel of the evening gives off the energy of a gig, and the onstage band joins Davies in leaving their all right there on stage for everyone to see. And make no mistake: Davies is a wonder, even if the woman she is playing remains largely a cipher right through to the end.

WhatsOnStage: The roles cast around Davies do bring up an interesting angle that the show, however, never really explores. Joplin, as Davies puts it early in the show, is a "white girl obsessed with the blues", and as such, all of her musical role models are Black women. It feels like an intriguing aspect the show could delve into more, and seems like a missed opportunity.

But again, it's the power of the performances, and the dedication of the production to making the night with Janis Joplin real, that allows it to sort of get away with this. We can just believe in the music itself, and that's the real power of the show to provide a setting in which Janis Joplin's blues can be the star.

TheatreWeekly: Kalisha Amaris, Georgia Bradshaw, and Danielle Steers switch between roles of these icons and those of the Joplinaires, Janis's ensemble. The incredible female cast not only brings these legends to life but also embodies the spirit of the 60s and 70s with their voices, choreography, and costumes. A Night with Janis Joplin may be enjoyed by Joplin's enthusiasts, but first and foremost, it should be appreciated by fans of music as it is a triumphant, if at times one-sided, celebration.