Melanie Gall
Perennial Fringe favorite Melanie Gall summons her commanding vocal abilities, and an iPad to create an ultimate fan letter in “We’ll Meet Again: Vera Lynn, the Forces’ Sweetheart”.
If you’ve enjoyed Gall’s previous Fringe shows “Piaf and Brel: The Impossible Concert” and “Stitch in Time: A Knitting Cabaret”, you will not be disappointed. Gall’s voice remains strong and clear, easily able to belt out Lynn’s best known numbers like, “We’ll Meet Again” and “The White Cliffs of Dover”, her love for the songs and the singer shine through.
Her choice to rely on real research and sparse audio clips of the singer lend the piece an appropriate ‘listening by the radio’ feel.
Having just celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the Canadian Forces role in the Vimy Ridge battle, while staring down Christopher Nolan’s film “Dunkirk” as this summer’s potential blockbuster, WWI and WWII have re-established themselves in the minds of many as places of clarity in our uncertain times.
For many people, Vera Lynn songs symbolize WWII. Her songs, while mostly melancholy have a velvety toughness.
The audience is given song sheets and encouraged to participate in what becomes a group sing along at times.
Although the play’s venue is accessible by elevator, “We’ll Meet Again: Vera Lynn, the Forces’ Sweetheart” would have been made more meaningful by placing it in the Duke of Kent Legion where old and young could enjoy crooning and imbibing in an easily accessible location.
Venue #26 – ACI Manitoba
July 21 5:30 p.m.
July 22 2:30 p.m.
July 23 1:00 p.m.
July 24 5:30 p.m.
July 25 7:00 p.m.
July 26 5:30 p.m.
July 27 5:30 p.m.
July 28 7:00 p.m.
July 29 2:30 p.m.
July 30 1:00 p.m.
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