Edith Piaf—or should I say Naomi Emmerson as Edith Piaf—played to a packed house at the opening night of the SuperNova Theatre Festival. The French singer’s story, from her impoverished beginnings through her superstardom to her sad descent to death, is played out in the one-woman show Piaf: Love Conquers All. The play is a kind of intimate conversation between Piaf and the audience. Along the way, she sings some of her most beloved pieces like "La Vie En Rose" and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien". Emmerson does a remarkable job as both the young, charmingly spunky chanteuse and the older Piaf, a woman whose heart has been broken by the death of her true love and whose body has been broken down by a morphine addiction. Although at times Piaf’s distinct singing style handicaps Emmerson’s delivery of a song, she still sings with a great depth of emotion. The audience appeared to be filled with Piaf fans, but this show may well make fans of the unconverted.
Where: Neptune Studio Theatre.
When: April 29, 39 and May 1 at 7pm.
Ticket Prices: $20 to $25
