Audrey Brisson a tour de force in Watermill’s triumphant Piaf
The Watermill theatre’s Piaf by Pam Gems is a resounding triumph!
Audrey Brisson returns to Newbury following her critically acclaimed run of Amélie in 2019.
She gives a charismatic tour de force performance as the “Little Sparrow” Edith Piaf, the French chanteuse who was brought up in a brothel and lived on the bawdy streets of Pigalle working as a prostitute, together with her loyal friend Toine (Tzarina-Nassor). It’s a life filled with drugs, alcohol and many men, but she has a passionate desire to sing.
Brisson inhabits the character of Piaf with a raw energy, from her early years singing in clubs through her many intense love affairs and husbands to becoming the highest paid international star before spiralling into developing cancer and a morphined driven world filled with pain until her untimely death at 47.
Her life was often precarious. During Nazi occupied France she navigated messages to French prisoners, entertained officers and saved many children.
She now had an agent Marlene (Signe Larsson) who although has had no experience in this role manages her turbulent progress and becomes friends.
The highly talented ensemble of nine actor-musicians play a variety of instruments from accordions to brass and woodwind with a vibrant rich score by Sam Kenyon while impressively multi-roling the other characters. The exuberant street scenes perfectly captured the Parisian chaos.
Piaf’s story is told through her songs, sung both in French and English with favourites such as Lili Marlene, the close harmony Jimmy Brown and the moving Hymn to Love.
Signe Larsson makes a commanding Marlene Dietrich with a sensual rendition of La Vie en Rose and supports Piaf during her American tour, which turns out to be not a huge success.
Kimberley Sykes’ astute direction confidently moves the action on in a series of well-rounded vignettes complimented by Prema Mehta’s striking lighting.
The final song Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien was so poignant and summarised Piaf’s whole heart rending life.
But the evening belongs to Brisson and this outstanding production richly deserved its tumultuous applause and standing ovation at the end.
Not to be missed.
