 To listen to Janis Joplin’s music and not be deeply, soulfully affected means you have a soul as rancid as the ass-end of skunk road kill. Joplin’s magic was in how close to the very nerve of aesthetic charge she operated. Emotionally she lived that charged life, and the evidence of that charge manifested itself in her voice. So a musical that starts out with the music of Janis Joplin as its raw material has a decided advantage.
“Love , Janis” bases its narrative through line on letters from the book, “Love Janis”. The onstage mechanism is to have the inner Janis narrate from her letters in divergent monologues and a second Janis, Janis Joplin the singer, delivers live performances of her music thematically related to the monologue/letter.
An interesting twist to this dichotomy is how the inner “Janis” and the singer “Janis Joplin” occasionally enter into dialogue. The narrative is furthered by an offstage “interviewer” whose voice comes like the voice of God but is meant to imitate the many interviews Janis Joplin gave. “Love, Janis” not only revisits a character from our very American past but even tries to bridge subjects that remain topical—the tension between art and living, between integrity, soul, and stardom. The performance plays out a story of addiction and need that diseases the lives of many artists. This American opera manages history, story, and social relevance with a reasonable balance of story and metaphor. The music, oh so American in its making, ain't half bad either. Where: Wilshire Theatre
8440 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(323)655-4900 or visit: www.wilshiretheatrebeverlyhills.com When: Thursday May 29- Sunday June 1 @ 8:00pm Price: $30- $100 | 
