Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 Preview: The Sparrow and the Mouse
Photo Credit: Karen Gall for Sisterscene Theatre
This year the Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 is bringing us the non-fiction story and reenactment of the life and troubles of Edith Piaf. Her beautiful and haunting songs are as famous as her tragic life story. I fully expect this play to be a tear-jerker, but for anyone who loves the richness of this woman and her music, and her contribution to French history, I would encourage you to go.
My hopes are that the musical (yes, a musical at Fringe! Of course, featuring Piaf`s own music.) explores the life and times of Paris in the 1930`s – fashion, lifestyle, and so-forth. The story is told as a narrative from the point of view of Edith`s half-sister Simone, which should add a sort of twist. It`s also the only play at the festival which will performi n both English and French – a huge attraction for the Francophone community as well as those who find beauty in the French language.
Sisterscene Theatre [featuring Melanie Gall as Piaf] will present The Sparrow and the Mouse: Creating the Music of Edith Piaf as part of the Vancouver Fringe Festival, September 8 -18, 2011. The Sparrow and the Mouse is a musical comedy/drama that explores the early life of famed French chanteuse Edith Piaf.
The Sparrow and the Mouse is being performed at the False Creek Community Centre Gym. Showtimes are: Sept 8 at 8:30, Sept 10 at 2:00, Sept 11 at 9:35, Sept 15 at 6:15, Sept 17 at 6:00, and Sept 18 at 3:35.
Tickets are $11/$9 (students/seniors), and are available from the Fringe Box Office or at the door. The Sparrow and the Mouse runs 60 minutes and is suitable for ages 10 and up.
Related posts:
- The Seminar at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 (review)
- Stay Away From My Boat @$$hole at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011: Review
- Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 Preview: Suicide(s) in Vegas
- The Sparrow + The Mouse at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival (Review)
- The Exquisite Hour and Dr. Horrible Sing-along Blog (win tickets) Vancouver International Fringe Festival
Melanie Gall sings beautifully. I think the show is worth seeing just for that. Her rendition is smooth and classical, in contrast to Edith Piaf, but as noted in another review, Gall is playing the half-sister, not Edith Piaf herself.
Edith and Simone’s early life was a particularly horrific version of a sort of “La bohème”, and Gall clearly gets across the emotional heartache of this upbringing and early adulthood. Gall’s acting is good, but the singing eclipses that.
Just a note: the note says suitable for “ages 10 and up”. There is some explicit sexual content, so while that is probably not a shock for most urban 10-year-olds, it’s something parents might want to be aware of going in.
One last comment: the details of Edith Piaf’s life are unclear, and it’s widely believed that Simone’s account of her relationship and role in Edith’s life is exaggerated. So this is not a documentary (in case you expected that from a Fringe play
).
Thanks for the correction, Lois! I made sure to clear that up in my review. I definitely expected Gall to play Piaf before I saw the show.