Piaf! The Show at the Theatre Royal Glasgow Review

Piaf! The Show
Theatre Royal, Glasgow

27-28 January 2016

www.atgtickets.com/theatre-royal-glasgow

Reviewed by Dee Ryz

Piaf! The Show, celebrates “the centenary of French music’s ultimate grande dame” at Glasgow’s iconic Theatre Royal as part of the Celtic Connections Festival. Loosely based on the 2007 Oscar winning biopic, La Vie en Rose, this musical, (of sorts), tells the story of the wonderful Edith Piaf, from her humble beginnings in the poor Pigalle area of Paris to her rise to stardom, through song.

With clever use of projections on a plain backdrop, the audience is transported to France and beyond, including some absolutely astounding images of the one and only Piaf herself – the set design was incredible and the projections even included English translations of the song lyrics so that everyone could understand the story and sentiment of each song. With few props, excluding her amazing 4 piece on stage band, Anne Carrere’s portrayal of Piaf was absolutely astounding. The show was wonderful and lively – Carrere seemed to embody the soul and attitude of Piaf as she strutted around the stage, acting and singing her heart out – it even included a little audience participation….!

Having thought I only knew a few of Piaf’s hits, after watching the show, it would appear that I know more than originally thought – from the beautiful La Vie En Rose to the spine-tingling crescendo of Je Ne Regrette Rein (which almost brought the house down!) – I felt it was – a truly brilliant homage to Piaf and a magnificent way to celebrate her centenary.

On until 28th January at the beautiful Theatre Royal, situated in the heart of Glasgow’s city centre, I would definitely recommend grabbing a ticket if you can! 5 mins walk from Cowcaddens underground, readily available parking at the nearby Cambridge Street multi-storey car park, and both Queen Street and Central Station a 5-10 minutes’ walk away, means there’s no excuse not to get there.

Don’t miss this show or you might ‘Regrette’ it!

Rating: 5/5 

Tickets cost from £28.40 to £31.40 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).

Piaf! The Show is at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow until 28 January 2016. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7647.

Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 3QA | 0844 871 7647