Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Locals Know - Jacques Brel is Alive and Well



What a lovely nugget. We thoroughly enjoyed this production but the first thing we will address is the fact that this isn't really a play, but more of a collection of songs by the famous french songwriter Jacques Brel. If you are looking for a collection of beautiful songs that individually tell wonderful little stories you will love this production. The songs have been translated into English but have not lost their soul. A few songs are performed in their native language and although we are not french speaking we recognized the beauty these song held when performed in french.
The most impressive is the sound quality. This being the first musical staged in the Tom Patterson theatre the Festival has invested in a new sound system for the theatre. The result is superb and for the most part you could never tell the actors were mic'ed. This production also proves that this venue is perfect for intimate musical performances due to the fact that the audience is performed to from every angle. Making the audience feel as though they are an intimate part of the performance.
Another element of this performance that must be noted is Jewelle Blackman's rendition of "Carousel." I can't say that I remember her performance in Cabaret but after this show she will never again be forgotten.
In summary these enticing little nuggets exemplify the famous soliloquy from "As You Like It", this speech states that all the world is a stage and these little songs are further proof of that.


If you want to investigate the real life Jacques Brel check out the following link;
Jacques Brel Video

Check out this production clip.

1 comment:

  1. I agree. I've seen this 3 times now and I'm sure I'll go again.

    I was there opening night and wow!

    You're right, Jewelle Blackman is definitely unforgettable!

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