You can’t help but wonder how many people fall in love with Camille O’Sullivan during her show each night. I know it wasn’t just me; from the standing ovation at the end, the audible gasps during the more impressive numbers, and the fact that during the quieter songs, the audience are not just silent, they barely move.
You won’t find a more riveting show in Edinburgh, or anywhere else, this August.
Camille has been entrancing audiences at the Fringe for years now, and the magic shows no signs of fading. She has performed at Glastonbury and the RSC and this year she is back with a show that is as dramatic and exciting as ever.
Her singing holds the room entranced. When the applause comes at the end of her songs, you can almost feel the tension breaking. Her songs are by turn dark, angry, sad, joyous and beautiful and her voice adapts perfectly to each. When she has the audience sing quietly and beautifully the final refrain of her final song with her, it is hard to believe that this is the same woman who, just a few minutes ago, performed a dark and dramatic cover of Port of Amsterdam, lit by a single spotlight and accompanied only by the percussion of her own feet.
Visually, the show is stunning. The lighting is unique and exciting, adding much to the atmosphere. The stage is beautifully dressed, littered with fairy lights, dresses and other paraphernalia. These adornments could easily seem self-consciously quirky, trying too hard, but somehow they just work. Her band are excellent - extremely competent musicians able to adapt easily to the many and varied styles of music on offer in the show.
Camille is a singularly engaging and entrancing performer. It is impossible not to be moved by her voice and her showmanship. You won’t find a more riveting show in Edinburgh, or anywhere else, this August.
