The Sparrow + The Mouse at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival (Review)
Photo Credit: Karen Gall for Sisterscene Theatre
Edith Piaf left a hard pair of shoes to fill. Her vocal range, beauty, and emotion left an imprint on French history and music forever. This story, written and featuring Melanie Gall, lives up to the high standard of Piaf’s voice and music.
I arrived at the play wondering who would play Piaf and what the setting would look like. Portraying Paris in the 1930s would be difficult but could be beautiful. Interstingly enough, I saw neither of those things.
The featureless background actually works itself perfectly into the performance as the costumes do all of the work.: beautiful silks and sequins, contracted with Simone’s humble blue skirt and sweater. As for Edith, she doesn’t directly appear at all. Although this is the story of her life and times, the character is actually Simone, her step-sister.
Although Melanie Gall could have pulled off Piaf if she wanted, she was humble enough to write herself in as the sister and narrator. I think it was best that Piaf remained imagined instead of seen, as some of the story became extremely tragic and despairing, something maybe best not portrayed directly.
The songs were sung absolutely beautifully. Only at one point did I notice a mistake, and it was inconsequential. My favourite of Piaf’s songs, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, was as gorgeous as it could get. Melanie Gall`s voice was strong and clear, yet somehow softer than Piaf`s original voice. I loved when the two voices were overlapped at one point, with the original record playing in the background. The audience was totally into the music, and Gall encouraged interaction as she spoke to different audience members throughout the monologue.
I would certainly recommend this play to anyone, especially opera lovers. Although the subject matter is extremely difficult and sad, there is humour and light-heartedness within the presentation. I didn’t leave feeling upset, but rather having enjoyed my evening.
Disclaimer: Jessica attended the media premiere of The Sparrow and The Mouse on a Super Pass graciously provided by the Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 organizers. We were not otherwise compensated for our review, nor was a positive one expected. Raul always maintains editorial control over content published on Hummingbird604.com.
Read all of our Vancouver International Fringe Festival 2011 coverage here.
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Excellent!