They have been filling their rooms for several months. "No, Brassens was not misogynist," say each of Aude Duhamel and Pauline Dupuy. These two talented young artists have imagined musical performances to pay homage to the singer and poet and to his always modern work. Their different but complementary universes are attractive.
"J'aime Brassens", warm and light
More than a simple concert, this show that makes the heyday of the Edgar Theater tenderly retraces the entire journey of the famous singer. Willingly mischievous, Aude Duhamel, actress trained "in London" and singer disciple of the American Sara Lazarus, makes swing the words of the great Georges. By his side, the cheerful guitarist Andrea Campagnolo knits successful accompaniments, mixing waltz, flamenco, bossa-nova and even Russian rhythms!
Between two titles, the actress in a red dress reveals anecdotes and biography of the man with the pipe, sometimes grumpy, sometimes hilarious, on a text by Jacques Pessis. This journalist worked on the radio with the humorist Pierre Dac, and notably worked with Devos, Trénet and Brassens.
This is how, among the fifteen beautifully interpreted titles, we (re) discover nuggets, like "Maman Papa". We also find with pleasure “A pretty flower in a cowhide”, “L'Auvergnat” or even “First Friends”.
Take advantage of the last performance on Saturday before a break of a few months. The artist will indeed give birth in early April to a little girl. Before finding the same scene at the end of the summer.
EDITOR'S NOTE: 4/5
"J'aime Brassens", Edgar Theater, 58 boulevard Edgar-Quinet, in Paris (14th), Saturday February 29 at 3:30 p.m. Resumed on Saturdays and Sundays at 3.30 p.m. from September 21. Entrance: 27 euros.
"Contrebrassens", powerful and inspired
Would we have imagined Brassens without the sound of his famous double bass player Pierre Nicolas? Not Pauline Dupuy anyway. Tall and slender, dressed in black, the musician never separates from the "grandmother" (Editor's note: this is how we call this immense stringed instrument) . She has concocted a brilliant recital in which she performs in her warm alto voice a repertoire made up of Brassens songs evoking woman and love.
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It is a real intimate concert which we revel in for almost an hour and a half. It is barefoot that Pauline interprets the words and the notes of the Sétois monument, giving each word and each verse an inexpressible magic, sometimes almost a capella, letting her instrument murmur.
With her, Michael Wookey, English multi-instrumentalist, who goes from banjo to crystal bells, without forgetting the childish sounds of a toy piano. All this gives amazing and delicate arrangements, which, with the decoration of starry black night, underline the poetry and the power of the texts of the master.
"The non-marriage proposal" is particularly moving, as is the cover of Barbara's immortalized version of "Santa Claus and the little girl". "The Public Benches" remain as attractive as ever. We have fun of course with the inclination of Brassens for "Fernande", but also "Félicie". And we sympathize with the plight of these women who, in bed, get bored ... ninety-five times out of a hundred. As for us, we validate the show at 95%.
EDITOR'S NOTE: 4.5 / 5
"Contrebrassens", Studio Hébertot, 78 bis boulevard des Batignolles in Paris (17th century). Mondays and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. until March 31. Entrance: 28 euros.
