Review: CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN: LOVELETTER at Soho Theatre

This is not a tribute act. In fact, O'Sullivan's performances of O'Connor and MacGowan's work could arguably not even be counted as cover versions: inLoveletter's opening patter, O'Sullivan explains that her focus is on both artists' words and poetry. Sparely arranged, her performances of numbers such as The Broad Majestic Shannon strip the songs of their rollocking folk production, leaving only the artists' words, interpreted to the audience through O'Sullivan's voice. A supremely adept and confident vocalist, O'Sullivan's voice is haunting, melancholy and fierce.

O'Sullivan also includes songs by other artists from O'Connor and MacGowan's era who have inspired her, such as Kirsty MacColl, David Bowie, and Nick Cave. O'Sullivan's spotlit a cappella renditions of Bowie's Port of Amsterdam and O'Connor's My Darling Child were highlights, the latter being almost disturbing in its vulnerable intensity. O'Sullivan convinces the audience to follow her in whichever direction she takes each of Loveletter's songs, and her evident connection to the music, and the musicians, is engaging.

Less successful is O'Sullivan's inter-song patter, which leans too far on the side of manic pixie gothgirl. It's understandable that O'Sullivan doesn't disclose too many personal anecdotes about O'Connor and MacGowan. However, given her obvious passion for and study of their music, Loveletterwould have been improved if O'Sullivan had spoken about the deep connection to the songs she displays when performing them. The decision behind each specific number's inclusion on the setlist, and what O'Sullivan thinks and feels about them, would have been much more fascinating than O'Sullivan's ramblings about her broken shoes.

Onstage with O'Sullivan is her long-time collaborator, Feargal Murray. He provides expert, heartfelt accompaniment on the keyboards and trumpet (sometimes both simultaneously). The set is a baffling array of creepy masks and nick-nacks, but that's all part of O'Sullivan's vibe. The lighting team at the Soho Theatre make use of simple but impressive effects to keep the auditorium sparkling.

More of a theatre-set cabaret than a staged concert, Loveletter is not brain-off light entertainment. That's not a criticism- O'Sullivan's intense, challenging evening leaves audiences impressed and enlightened, gifted with her intriguing new takes on old songs.