The Sparrow and the Mouse: Creating the Music of Edith Piaf
The Sparrow and the Mouse: Creating the Music of Edith Piaf
Theatre de Follies
With Melanie Gall
Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival – Blue Venue</strong>
To sing this well, one must have known deep, deep sorrow. We know nothing of Melanie Gall’s sorrows, but Edith Piaf is better documented. Piaf was born into show business, her mother sang on the streets of Paris, and her father was an acrobat who personally tried to repopulate France after The Great War. He sired at least 18 children, including Edith and her half sister Simone. The girls were poor, bohemian and starving, but they could do as they liked. Edith liked a boy who impregnated her and then stole the child; he only reappeared to tell her the baby was dying. Edith and Simone took an hour out of their seedy cabaret act to bid the child farewell, and then Edith sold out her principles in order to give the child a proper burial. Eventually Edith was discovered, Simone marginalized, and the rest if French music history.
Ms. Gall tenderly retells the story from Simone’s point of view, but most of this show simply presents the music Piaf made famous. Gall is a superb singer, and in the comfy confines of the Blue venue not only is she singing for you and you alone, but you can nearly touch her (although that is frowned upon). Nearly everything she sings is in French, I only picked up the standards “Falling Leaves” and “Ma Vie En Rose”, but that’s no matter. You’ve heard the stereotypical “French soundtrack” movies use to shorthand “You’re in Paris”, but Ms. Gall sings the real deal – – soulful songs, full of heart, full of sorrow, and full of life.
More information on Ms. Gall may be found at http:\www.melaniegall.com
This show is part of the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. Tickets and other information may be found at http:\www.OrlandoFringe.org
