08/28/05: Ellen Greene at Martuni's


Absolute passion and commitment to her interpretation

I've never actually seen Ellen Greene live, but I've heard her on recordings so many times I feel like I have. I still love Little Shop of Horrors, her most renowned role, and she set a bar for playing the role of Audrey so high that I honestly doubt we'll ever see someone match her. Why? Because even while playing this cartoon-like character with the baby doll voice and trashy clothing, Ellen invest Audrey with so much longing and love that she just takes residence in your heart, and you could never think to mock Audrey and her foibles...you root for her instead. Without the heart that is the foundation of the storyline of LIttle Shop you'd wind up with a show like Bat Boy...campy but forgettable.

Her cabaret performance yesterday afternoon, in the extremely intimate confines of the back room at Martuni's illustrated this heart. Even when Ellen is going for the grand gestures and big emotions she does so with such utter conviction and passion and commitment and intensity that yes, you might feel a little overwhelmed, but you buy it. You believe her.

It's the same gift Bernadette Peters has actually. You don't always know exactly what it is, but you know something is going on inside when both these women sing. Thing is, you don't have to know their specific internal story. The fact that you know there is one frees you to imagine it, and imagine your own.

Ellen is this teeny tiny little woman with huge heart. And yes, an off-kilter personality. All part of her charm.

Ellen doesn't sing a lot of show-tunes, although she is kind enough to give us what we want and deliver the two most famous Little Shop songs. Her song choices are eclectic, mostly modern, and she sings quite a bit from the canon of intense female singer songwriters, from Kate Bush to Paula Cole to Tori Amos. Bringing some kind of linear sense to some of the more free-form moments of these women's songs is a feat, but Ellen really does tell a story with an emotional throughline in each song.

We enjoyed seeing this emotional powerhouse of a performer so close-up and personal. And we enjoyed talking to her briefly afterwards.





Posted: Mon - August 29, 2005 at 08:47 AM       EmailFeedback

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