Music is magic: a song can express a part of our souls that we’re too afraid to. Carolyn Fe and her ghostly group are lifting their voices, and potentially more than just the spirits of the audiences, with their concert Grave Songs: A Concert to Thin the Veil. With pieces from France to Broadway, this eclectic and haunting program is certain to leave you with goosebumps on your skin and a song in your heart.
The concert begins with two classical piano concertos performed by Juro Kim Feliz assisted by Lorelei Adama-Chung, setting the mood for the rest of the program. The keyboard shakes as Feliz commands the ebb and flow of the piece. They’re also surrounded by some familiar faces, or rather familiar heads, as the various puppets which are part of the Eldritch Theatre ensemble surround the playing space. The addition of a mirror above the piano enabling the audience to witness the full brilliance of Feliz’s playing is a fantastic idea; I felt myself drawn to it multiple times in those opening numbers.
When Carolyn Fe emerges onto the stage, she’s dressed like a gender-defying maestro; with a cravat, vest, and elegantly decorated suit jacket paired with a long black skirt and strings of pearls. She’s a wonder to behold and her voice, powerful and strong, only enhances the aesthetic. Louisa Burgess-Corbett is dressed in a flowing robe with beautiful jewelry, and her powerhouse vocals bring down the house with every number.
The two then begin a conversation with their songs: Fe’s songs of loss, longing, and love, Burgess-Corbett’s of womanhood, care, and also love. From familiar show tunes to the beloved Jacques Brel, Fe and Burgess-Corbett make these songs their own, putting all of their passion and feeling into every note. Fe’s dancing, at times ethereal and fluid while strong and ferocious in others, happily fills the musical interludes in her numbers; a reminder of the true triple threat we see before us.
It’s unfortunate that this run of Grave Songs was so short; a show filled with such thought-provoking, moving, and enjoyable songs is exactly what we all need right now. Carolyn Fe talks about how putting this concert together was a way for her to revive her love for singing, and I truly hope it did – it certainly did the same for me.
Make sure to keep up with Carolyn Fe here: https://carolyn-fe.com
And with Eldritch Theatre and their spooky goings-on here: https://eldritchtheatre.ca
Cover Photo: Juro Kim Feliz
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