The Home of the Arts is a remarkable venue, most famously regarded for its shows, exhibitions, and live events. With a variety of performance spaces, HOTA hosts a diverse collection of performances year-round, catering to all audiences, interests, and passions.

Located in the intimate setting of the basement, with an exclusive show on April the 4th only… talented Australian artist Nikki Nouveau presents ‘No Regrets: The Edith Piaf Story’. Nikki has many years of experience as an entertainer, which is evident in her most recent cabaret performance.

In No Regrets: The Edith Piaf Story, Nikki Nouveau offers a captivating and heartfelt journey of the legendary French singer, Edith Piaf. The audience is immersed in the essence of Piaf’s life and music within the first five minutes of the performance, through emotional delivery. Nikki transports the audience to the heart of Paris, with her deep connection to Piaf’s legacy.

The emotional resonance of Piaf’s story is enhanced by Nikki’s ability to speak both French and English seamlessly. Angelic vocals evoke the profound emotional connection between Nikki, Piaf, and the audience. The show begins slow, as Piaf’s life begins quite sad but ends with joy and passion – taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster.

Nikki incorporated costume changes and accessories into her show, as a visual element of character development. The show began with Nikki wearing a black dress, to represent her femininity. In the second act Nikki wears a suit to portray the dominance and strength that Edith Piaf has adopted by this point in her life. A top hat was worn for a small sequence of songs as a character change – singing about Edith Piaf’s close friend Marlene Dietrich.

Each of these costumes were black, so they were timeless, sophisticated, and dark to represent the somewhat depressing story she was telling. The room was in relative darkness, and the stage was framed by red curtains and a stark white spotlight. Throughout the performance, Nikki performed flowy, elegant arm movements to match the music.

A standout was one of Piaf’s most notorious songs, La Vie en Rose, which coveys the bittersweet emotions that come with love. Nikki’s exceptional delivery aroused strong feelings of nostalgia and romance. Along with Nikki’s impressive vocals, there are moments where the music takes centre stage, with creative yet dramatic instrumental scores.

The changing dynamics in the music enhanced the atmosphere and highlighted the raw emotions tied to Piaf’s iconic and timeless songs. The music is an integral part of the storytelling, and Nikki moves to the side so the instruments are featured. John Reeves is an exceptional pianist and accordion player who deserves much recognition for his talent and musical ability.

Although the show started off deliberately slow to match Edith’s early years, it gathers pace, leading to the whole audience clapping along towards the end. Overall, this was a wonderful performance from Nikki and her musicians, full of passion, soul and music.

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