The Aretha Franklin Story 4**** - One4Review
one4review | On 25, Aug 2022
You will find the performance of The Aretha Franklin story at Symposium Hall. This has become one of my favourite venues this year. The garden area outside provides a chilled out place to relax before your performance and the staff are lovely.
The show takes us on a journey through the life and music of the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. With Aretha’s powerful voice and vocal range you can imagine it is no easy task to take on this role however Cleopatra Higgins absolutely nails it. Her voice just fills the room as she starts off the show with her rendition of Son of a Preacher Man,
Guitarist Roberto Picazo, referred to as the whiz kid of soul, provides the history of the musical paths that Aretha covered in her career. Aretha continually wanted to transition to different music. From gospel, blues, soul and pop Aretha has a huge back catalogue of songs. Cleopatra really works the room, getting the audience on their feet as she delivers one of Aretha’s most iconic songs, that was originally written by Otis Redding -Respect.
The musical arrangement of Bridge Over Troubled Water is wonderful as Cleopatra harmonises with the amazing backing singers, Maia Elsey and Reine Beau Anderson Dudley. The band is brilliant. The pianist, Luke Cunningham provides the perfect piano accompaniment to Cleopatra’s rendition of Amazing Grace. The audience are on their feet by the end of the show as they join in with the anthem that is Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves.
Their sell out performances continue at this year’s fringe and I can understand why. Cleopatra’s outstanding vocals that are accompanied by her phenomenal band play a fitting tribute to the soul legend, Aretha Franklin
4****
Reviewed by Lynn
theSpace Symposium Hall (Amphitheatre)
14:35
Until 28th
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