Review: ALMA at Théâtre Des Capucins

For our second show of the month, we had the pleasure of attending Alma, a musical performance adapting Faust’s dilemma to our modern days. What would do if you were given one wish by the devil? And even if your wish was vain, could you truly make the best of your new life? Fabrice Murgia and Peggy Lee Cooper explore this timeless question with both depth and humour, in show that greatly entertained all those attending.

The gold: The musical numbers. Sarah-Louise Young, playing the lead character Alma, was truly able to amaze us with just how well she can sing. Her highest notes were remarkable, especially in contrast with Peggy Lee Cooper’s deep and demonic voice. We are simple unable to decide if we preferred their solos or their duets. The old school cabaret vibe of some numbers also gave a unique vibe to the story and the questions raised.

The silver: The acting. Peggy Lee Cooper was able to steal the show with more than just song. Cooper’s nonchalant tone and mannerisms, interaction with the audience and, well, basically entire persona were the epicentre of everything that happened on stage. But we must absolutely also applaud the formidable Vanessa Vandurme. Playing the character with the greatest depth and complexity, Vandurme’s gave us all a lesson in acting range and emotional versatility.

The bronze: The band. We might be slightly biased, given our passion for this style of music, but the musicians on stage sounded pretty amazing. With just a piano, trumpet and drums, the audience managed to experience a performance that could very well rival that of a big band.

As usual, our thanks to the Grand Théâtre and everyone involved.

To reach out to the writer: nuno.de.sousa.lopes@gmail.com

Photo Credit: Cici Olsson