Quel dommage! Even with John Lee Beatty's decorative French bar set and catchy tunes by Marguerite Monnot, this revival of Irma La Doucenever revives. Encores!' final production of the season fails to deliver the excitement of the original Broadway production in 1960 that ran more than 500 performances. (While there was also a film version starring Shirley MacLaine, all the music was cut, so enough about that.)
This has the bones of a strong show, so what went wrong? The sprightly, cosmopolitan overture under Rob Berman's leadership sounds promising. Included are some sophisticated melodies like "Valse Milieu," "The Language of Love" and "Irma La Douce," written by Monnot, long-time friend and collaborator with Edith Piaf ("La Vie En Rose," "Milord"). The original French book and lyrics are by Alexandre Breffort and the English translation by Julian More, David Heneker, and Monty Norman.
At the top of the show, however, Malcolm Gets as Bob-Le-Hotu, the proprietor of the Bar-des-Inquiets, steps forward, leans on his mop and sings "Valse Milieu," a narrative tune about Pigalle, his milieu. This song should fire up the musical, and maybe it would if Edith Piaf (or Elizabeth Seal from the original) were belting it out. Or can you imagine a sexy delivery by Yves Montand? Gets is likeable but what this tune, and the whole show, needs is that Gallic savoir faire. What it gets is broad French farce that proves tiresome and not funny, a love story that is not romantic, and performers who try – though less than enthusiastically.
Playing the Parisian streetwalker, Irma, is Jennifer Bowles (late of Matilda), who is more bland than saucy. Bowles shows Irma's warm-hearted nature but lacks her energy. She dances well, but her songs come across in a little-girl voice.
Falling hard for Irma is a naive French law student, Nestor, portrayed by Rob McClure (Chaplin: The Musical), but he is troubled by Irma sleeping with other men. Nestor, therefore, creates another identity by slapping on a beard/nose, and becomes the elderly, rich Oscar. Irma falls for Oscar, and now Nestor must get rid of his alter-ego. He’s arrested, though, and sent to Devil's Island. He escapes and... I know, who cares by now? But McClure carried on gamely.
The staging is picturesque with lighting by Paul Miller. Ann Hould-Ward's costumes fit the bill with a bright red dress for Irma. Chase Brock creates lively choreography for the company and, for Irma, a frisky "Dis Donc" can-can-plus dance number. The Encores! orchestra is magnifique.
Irma La Douce is the first Encores! musical that did originate in the United States, but even with the engaging music, director John Doyle (Sweeney Todd) does not deliver the giddy charm and wit to send it soaring.
