Gay Marshall stepped away from her character in Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris to show off the stuff she is really made of, in a new solo show at the whimsical Zipper Theatre. A dynamic delight, she is a mix of funny and tragic, moves limberly, and sings with her heart in her throat, zooming her high-powered vibrato into every corner of the oddly shaped space and to every audience member in one of the old automobile seats.

An elfin sparkplug, she is dressed in black, topped by what looks like a squished down Dr. Seuss hat, and opens singing Kander and Ebb's "How Lucky Can You Get?." She is off from there, offering stories of her life punctuated with selections from an eclectic list. With energy that won't quit, she whips off her hat during the show, unpins her long hair, takes off her jacket, puts back it on, pins back her hair, plops back her hat, always moving, talking, and singing... It is exhausting, but not for her.

Marshall lived in Paris for 20 years. Paris -- everyone is jealous, right? Marshall tries to ease the envy with a medley of Paris-themed songs to illustrate drawbacks of being an American actress living in the City of Light. She illustrates with several crackling monologues, one sketching an arrogant salesgirl in the Galleries Lafayette. Marshall manages to deal with any drawbacks, apparently married to the perfect man, inspiring a romantic medley -- "You Stepped Out of a Dream," "This Can't be Love," "The Music that Makes Me Dance."

Marshall is most riveting when she delves into the haunting spirits of Brel and Piaf in her flawless French and some explanatory English, with songs including "My Childhood," "L'Accordioniste," and "Milord". Also influenced by blues singers, and backed by musical director/pianist Mark Hartmann, drummer Michael Croiter and bassist Steve Gilewski, she lets go with husky irony in "Woman Be Wise," "Don't Advertise Your Man" (Wallace/ Raitt) in a vocal belt that needs no amplification.

Marshall keeps up a level of humor, heart, and keen communication with the audience. One drawback may be there is just too much. While she certainly could put on a one-woman small theatre performance, for cabaret, she might trim her medleys down and settle in with more ballads like the affecting "Baltimore Oriole" (Carmichael). There is a lot of talent and intensity in this tiny wallop. Combine Marshall's charm with the funky Zipper Theatre, and add the Zipper Tavern just next door, which offers a provocative menu of unconventional salads, charcouterie, and main courses at reasonable prices, and you've got an electric evening on this out-of-the-way street.

The Zipper Theatre presents Gay Marshall's solo performances one more time on June 26.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
June 19, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org