Camille O'Sullivan talks ahead of Shrewsbury show

The award-winning singer, actress, and French-Irish songstress is one of The Emerald Isle's most celebrated artists. She enjoys a formidable international reputation for her dramatic interpretations of the narrative songs of Nick Cave, Brel, Waits, Bowie, Radiohead and more.

As much a storyteller as a singer, chameleon-like on stage, her performances are sometimes heart-rending, occasionally mischievous, but always an exhilarating carousel ride.

With her voice ranging from emotive rock to vulnerable whisper, Camille is fierce, playful and totally mesmerising, transforming each song she interprets into a gripping theatrical experience.

Fans can see for themselves when she plays Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn next month.

Impressed

"I am not impressed by being Camille O'Sullivan so I want to inhabit other people's songs," she admits. "They are artists who've made me laugh, cry or bought out a strong emotion. So doing those songs means it's quite an emotional show. It's like there are 20 different people on stage. Sometimes it goes from a whisper to a scream. There's darkness, pure joy and delight."

Camille first stormed the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 12 years ago with her own show and as one of the original stars of the Olivier Award-winning La Clique, leading the BBC to recently describe her as 'the Queen of the Fringe'. It was the festival that launched her as one of the most exciting artists on the worldwide stage and her most recent show, last year's Brel, received many five-star reviews.

She was named Irish Tatler's Woman of the Year in Music and performed the songs of English behemoths Radiohead with a 40-piece orchestra at the 2015 Wilderness Festival to much acclaim.

On top of this, Camille has performed to audiences at London's O2, Sydney Opera House and Royal Festival Hall. "My favourite line in song is in The Anthem, 'there's a crack in everything and that's how the light gets in'. In a way, that describes the show. It's like meeting someone and watching them unravel in front of you. I'm as open and as vulnerable as you can be in a live show. Every show is quite chameleon-like. As a woman you can be fierce, powerful and vulnerable. It's almost like my real life is happening on stage.

"The show is theatrical. I use recordings. It's like I'm in a dream-state. You go from one song to another. I have this mad gingerbread house made out of cardboard. The colours are ever changing."

Like so many people, O'Sullivan was devastated by the death of David Bowie and part of her show is in tribute to him. "It's more of a love letter than a tribute. I wouldn't want to do a tribute to someone that great because I'd only embarrass myself. I'd say the same about Leonard Cohen. It's very respectful, very communal." O'Sullivan is a true one-off, an artist not afraid to express herself or plumb emotional depths. "The show is for my own catharsis and wellbeing, it's the only way I can make sense of my life," she adds. "And I get the greatest joy when I meet people after the gig and they've been moved by my interpretations of the songs. I truly believe the songs and writers are the main thing. I'm just the conduit.

"I'm a devil and a child and I like to express myself. It's important that people feel they can let go when they listen to music. It's not about minor chords, it's about tigers. I don't care if the band hit the occasional wrong note, I just want the gig to be brilliant."

O'Sullivan plays Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn on March 9.

Tickets are available at www.thea tresevern.co.uk

By Andy Richardson