Gay Marshall Sings Piaf

Article: Jonny Shade ~

Generally when one thinks about Edith Piaf, the French chanteuse whose legend seems to grow exponentially with every generation, one thinks of two things: 1: “La Vie en rose”, the song she co-wrote that has become a ubiquitous staple in all corners of cabaret and pop culture; and 2: The tragic details of her life, which a new generation (including myself) were introduced to in the critically acclaimed movie of Piaf’s life starring the incredible Marion Cotillard.

There is one more thing she should be associated with: singer/actress Gay Marshall, and this woman returned to the Metropolitan Room May 20, 2016, in her glorious show: Gay Marshall Sings PIAF. 

 With only a piano to accompany her, the ageless Marshall exploded onto the stage like a firecracker, leading a rousing rendition of “L’accordeoniste” to great applause from an adoring audience, made up of both fans and colleagues. With a voice as powerful as it is intimate, Marshall has an immediate presence, casting her spell over us through her warm personality and inspired interpretations of a collection of musical gems, featuring translations into English done my Marshall herself. Her voice brings to mind leading ladies of the stage such as Betty Buckley, Ann Reinking, and Gwen Verdon. She possesses that rare combination of being able to produce lovely tones, with the slightest injection of that Gwen Verdon type of character in her voice. The final effect is a unique talent– a voice that can convey so much by doing very little.

Having performed in the Off-Broadway revue of Jacques Brel songs, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well And Living in Paris, Marshall is no stranger to singing the kinds of songs that Piaf made her own over fifty years, and it shows here. And with musical director extraordinaire Tracy Stark at the piano, the two women created an invisible connection that was palpable and exciting. Marshall steeps every song in subtext and is such an excellent actress that while the majority of the songs are sung in French, she conveys the sprit and the sentiment of the each song with panache and charisma to spare, so much so I didn’t mind at all that I could not understand some sentences. Or……… all of them; quite frankly (I took German in High school, but nobody wants to hear that song about no regrets – “Non, je ne regretted rien” — in Deutschland’s national tongue.

What was most wonderful about the whole evening was the overarching theme of Edith Piaf as the artist, not Piaf the “poor thing,” as Marshall put it. We weren’t there to celebrate the beleaguered woman who went from accident to addiction. We were there to glorify a one-of-a-kind talent whose artistry is still being celebrated today through memories of her indomitable spirit and timeless songs.

The next time Ms. Marshall comes around with this show, you should certainly buy a ticket. If anything, you’ll feel like you’re sitting in an authentic Parisian café, and you won’t have to shell out the big bucks and experience the long waits at the international airport terminal to get there.