Q&A: Life, Death and The Blues

Photo of Raoul Bhaneja by Claire Binks.

The style and substance of Blues music takes centre stage this season in a new show created by actor and musician Raoul Bhaneja at Theatre Passe Muraille (opens September 27). An innovative concert/theatre hybrid, Life, Death and The Blues combines autobiography, interviews, live music, and multimedia to explore the power, passion and meaning of The Blues. Under the direction of Eda Holmes, Bhaneja is accompanied by Juno Award-winning R&B/Soul singer Divine Brown and band members Jake Chisholm on guitar, Tom Bona on drums and Chris Banks on upright bass. Each show will feature a different performance and interview with a living Blues legend.

Here, Bhaneja talks about this dream-come-true experience, and why he's excited to be taking the show on the road in 2015.

Theatromania: Tell us about Life, Death and the Blues. What inspired this show?

RB: This is a piece I was first asked to create by Andy McKim at the Tarragon Spring Arts Fair in 1999. Andy knew of my work through The Storm Collective (with Eda Holmes and Severn Thompson) and a show we did earlier that season called STANDING FEMALE NUDE. I’d auditioned for one or two things at The Tarragon as well. I was just a few years out of The National Theatre School at the time. He was also aware that I was a blues musician. I had started Raoul and The Big Time in 1998 and was working towards my first album around that time. I always wanted to find a way to bring the theatre and the blues together but struggled for a long time over what kind of story was the right one for me to tell. What was the important one and what one could I really own. Which one would be the most authentic. After all, that’s what is at the core of the blues... authenticity.

Theatromania: How would you describe the production in a few sentences?

RB: A play. A concert. A conversation. An entertainment. A biography. An autobiography. A multiethnic multimedia extravaganza!

Theatromania: Who are some of your biggest Blues influences?

RB: A mix between the greats I’ve listened to on records, the greats I’ve seen perform live and the greats I have had the lucky opportunity to talk and play with over the years. From the classic period,f Little Walter and Muddy Waters, seen live it would be Bobby “Blue” Bland, James Cotton and BB King, from the played with file... it’s a long one but Junior Watson, Curtis Salgado, Johnny Sansone, Billy Boy Arnold, Mark Hummel, Rick Holmstrom...

Theatromania: What do you hope audiences take away from this performance?

RB: Context, a good time and hopefully a copy of my new CD and maybe one from one our different nightly blues legends who join us on the show. I’m really excited to feature local greats as well as US blues men Guy Davis (son of Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee) and Bob Margolin (long time guitar player for Muddy Waters). The show will go on tour across Canadian in early 2015.

Theatromania: What excites you most about this opportunity?

RB: Good work is made all over the country but there is something about this show, and the fact that it is coming out of the TPM mainspace that feels like it is very Toronto... in a good way. It will be fun to take our POV to different parts of the country and world I hope to see how the work reflects back on us and the audience. Touring Hamlet (solo) for 8 years I can say one of the great rewards is taking work that has grown and developed on the road and sharing it with other people. I’ve never been in a show that booked touring dates before it even opened so I’m pretty thrilled about that!!!!

Life, Death and The Blues runs until October 19 at Theatre Passe Muraille. Visit passemuraille.ca for more information and to buy tickets.