Camille O’Sullivan In Residence
Musical Arrangement by Feargal Murray
Off Off Broadway, Cabaret
Runs through 9.28.14
Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street
by Shani R. Friedman on 9.24.14
Camille O'Sullivan.
BOTTOM LINE: A limited engagement with the theatrical, charming Franco-Irish chanteuse the BBC calls the “Queen of the Fringe.”
What to make of the London-born, Cork-raised singer, actress and storyteller who opens the show with piped-in dialogue from The Wizard of Oz’s Glinda The Good Witch while a stuffed rabbit occupies the empty stage? As O’Sullivan told the audience by way of greeting (and maybe explanation), “for those who haven’t seen us before, good luck!” The question may prove unanswerable but also soon forgotten as O’Sullivan, decked out in all of her sparkly glory, from her fetching turban and cape to her shoes, let loose with those pipes. Her first song, Nick Cave’s God Is In The House served as a great introduction to her lilting, almost mournful interpretation but also, at certain moments, her husky, sexy rasp.
Along with lesser-known works from Cave, O’Sullivan frequently performs from the deep back catalogs of Jacques Brel and Tom Waits, who are some of her most personal musical influences. For Waits’ All The World Is Green, she employed some of her indefinable quirkiness, affixing a tiny birdcage to the microphone that she rapped on with a hand bell. Demonstrating her skill with multiple genres, O’Sullivan took on Kirsty MacColl’s In These Shoes, a stomping rock number that had her on the floor kicking up her shiny red heels. Channeling Janis Joplin’s raw vocals, she put a rollicking, bluesy spin on Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right, which was one of my favorites.
Late in the set she had a lovely moment with her band (drummer Jeffrey Roberts, guitarist Andrew Zinsmeister and pianist Feargal Murray) and the audience. Returning to Nick Cave once more for The Ship Song, she had the trio join her to sing, along with everyone else, the closing verses. And for this Canadian, it was a perfect ending when she chose Leonard Cohen’s Chelsea Hotel and Anthem to close out the evening.
Post-show, I needed to look up several of the songs, which I didn’t know but wanted to after hearing her versions. My lack of familiarity, however, didn’t at all diminish my enjoyment. O’Sullivan is a unique, dynamic entertainer and if you’re a fan of cabaret and storytelling, not to be missed.
(Camille O’Sullivan In Residence plays at Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street through September 28, 2014. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM and Sunday at 7PM. Tickets are $28 and available by visiting www.ovationtix.com or calling 866-811-4111.)