Lili La Scala: Songs to Make You Smile

Bringing a touch of old-school glamour to the Fringe, Lili La Scala presents Songs to Make You Smile: an hour of upbeat vintage music-hall and show-tunes from the likes of Gracie Fields, Irving Berlin and Ivor Novello. La Scala serves up wholesome, good-time music with a healthy dollop of nostalgia and a great big voice.

It should, however, be said that—as perfectly executed as this show undoubtedly is—on the whole it’s a little bland. Indeed, with her cut-glass accent and sickly sweet manner, La Scala is a little too Julie Andrews and not enough Camille O’Sullivan. What’s missing is a sense of worldliness and sass; without it, La Scala comes across a bit twee and insincere. For example, her description of Cole Porter’s ‘Satin and Silk’ as “a bit naughty,” rings hollow in an age where pre-teen girls habitually sing along to Rihanna’s ‘S&M.’ Whilst clearly aiming to recapture the innocence of pop-culture in the days before the great sexual liberation of the 1960s, failing to engage with it at all perhaps betrays a lack of ambition. Much has been said of the burgeoning popularity of cabaret acts in recent years and—in the context of this wide and vibrant scene—Songs to Make You Smile seems a little flat.

Nevertheless, for the music-hall or show tune enthusiast, there is undoubtedly something on offer here. La Scala is obviously a keen and learned aficionado who graciously shares her enthusiasm for keeping this genre alive. But for a broader audience, Songs To Make You Smile might be a little too one-note to capture the imagination.