The Eva Cassidy Story

Edinburgh Fringe

4 Stars

This show is both a musical documentary of musician Eva Cassidy’s life, as well as a showcase for Scottish musician Elsa Jean McTaggart.  It is a lovely show, and McTaggart’s passion for both Cassidy and her music is apparent throughout.

 

A tribute show to an artist who primarily performed cover tunes is difficult, however McTaggart handled it well, with musical arrangements similar to Cassidy’s, and some short anecdotes about Cassidy’s life woven into this 55-minute concert.

 

The singing was lovely, and the show was compelling.  Even more information about Cassidy’s life would have been appreciated, because I was definitely left wanting more.  Also, the Cassidy photos in the slideshow were interesting, however the slideshow transitions were dated and distracting (just going from one slide to another would have been enough), and continually returning to the slide of the concert poster was distracting and unnecessary.  However, those are small things, and overall it was an excellent show, and a loving and sensitive tribute to music superstar Eva Cassidy by a talented musician.