Customer Reviews

Victor/Victoria (1995 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is a pleasant recording of the stage version of Victor Victoria. I saw the show on Broadway and it was fabulous and Julie was exceptional. This cast recording has some great new material with "Living in the Shadows" as one of the stand out numbers. Beautiful music and lyrics. Julie also does a fantastic job on "Louis Says" and "If I Were A Man". "Le Jazz Hot" is a different, longer arrangement than the film version, but equally as grand.

To anyone who was fortunate enough to have seen it live, this will bring back great memories. This disc is wonderful for any admirer of Julie Andrews.

I believe that quite a few people have been extremely harsh to this musical and have not looked past their noses to say the musical recording redeeming qualities.

First of all is the star Julie Andrews. She may not have the voice that she did in the 1960's, but even then in 1995, few could sing the way she did. Some of the reviewers do not seem to believe that personality, which she provides, is good. This is being incredibly harsh and short sighted. Her La Jazz Hot number is fabulous. The writers should have just allowed more time to her, instead of the baritone singing the beginning.

Rachel York who plays Norma is about as good as you can get. Her 1930 mob doll voice is perfect with the hilarious numbers of Chicago and Paris Is So Sexy.

The shows ending number called Victor Victoria I found to be clever. It provides more finality to the show. That was the problem with the barber of Seville. While it was funnier with Robert Preston at the end it did not truly end the show.

For the most part the show is upbeat and stresses positive themes about people following alternative lifestyles. Some people need to open their eyes more. True this is not Lloyd Weber or Boubille and Schonberg, but it is Mancini and the qualities in that are unmistakable.

"To convince an audience that an illusion is real, the magician creates a plausible diversion."

That's the main idea behind VICTOR/VICTORIA a gender bending musical comedy adapted from Blake Edwards's acclaimed 1982 movie. VICTOR/VICTORIA was notable chiefly for bringing Julie Andrews back to Broadway in 1995. The reviews were mixed, but the only Tony nomination was for Julie. The show was bypassed for a nomination as Best Musical. Julie got her nose out of joint, called a press conference to say she was declining her nomination to stand in solidarity with her "egregiously overlooked" co-stars. The grandstanding gave the box-office a boost but cost Julie her award. (She has never won a Tony: Not for MY FAIR LADY or THE BOY FRIEND or CAMELOT. Hard as it is to believe.)

Truth be told... VICTOR/VICTORIA did not deserve any awards. Or any nominations. It was a patchwork show, slapped together with little care. When composer Henry Mancini died, Frank Wildhorn was called in to write new songs. NONE of the new songs by either composer are a patch on the songs from the 1982 movie.

Along the way from screen to stage much of the humour, much of the warmth, and even a good deal of the story has been lost. Instead we get cheap jokes, lacklustre production numbers and no real true character development. Good musical theatre writing should do this through songs, but many songs in VICTOR/VICTORIA are time-wasters.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in "Paris Makes Me Horny" - not only the show's worst number but also one of the worst songs in the history of musical theatre.

The ONLY reason this show ran was Juliue Andrews. When she left the show quickly folded. Those in search of the true VICTOR/VICTORIA should stick with the film and the movie soundtrack CD. Both are much more enjoyable than this awful recording.

"Victor\Victoria" is a charming 1982 film that starred the wonderful Julie Andrews as a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. Andrews' co-star was the equally wonderful Robert Preston, who played her witty gay chum who helps her become a popular drag queen...sort of.
In 1995, Andrews' husband, the director Blake Edwards, decided to turn the film that he directed and his wife starred in, into a splashy musical comedy with music by Henry Mancini of "Pink Panther" fame and lyrics by Leslie Bricuse of "Willy Wonka" fame. Of coruse, Andrews would make her return to Broadway in the show after a long absence. It was a surefire success...not.
Although Andrews does her best to hit those high notes, that lovely soprano that she was so famous for can't be used often. For most of her songs, Andrews uses her lower voice, which is just as wonderful as her higher singing voice.
Tony Roberts, who plays the Robert Preston role (Preston had passed away several years earlier) is also fine. Michael Nouri, as Andrews' romantic interest is very charming and Rachel York, as a slightly dumb chorine from Chicago, is great. Gregory Jbara is as always, delighftul.
Now that I've gotten through the good things- basicaly the cast, it's time to review the one problematic element of the show- its score.
The show opens with the nice "Paris By Night" which replaces a rather medicore song from the film. However, once Roberts' character meets Ms. Andrews, one of the stinkers of the score is sung- "If I Were a Man." There is no melody to this song and the lyrics aren't particulary anything to write home about. Ms. Andrews tries her best though. Roberts' "Trust Me" and Andrews' "Le Jazz Hot" are fine, in fact excellent, but poor Rachel York, one of the standout cast members, gets the terrible "Paris Makes Me Horny." What could be a great comic number is turned sour thanks to Mr. Bricuses' awful lyrics-
Paris is so sexy
Riding in a taxi
Gives me apoplexi
The three ending words do not rhyme at all, although they may seem to. There's also-
Also Oslo
Oslo really was slow
Also, this pushing it. They don't rhyme.
Andrews' "Crazy World" from the film is very nice though. Her cheesey, "Louis Says", the second act opener, is not so spectacular. Nouri's "King's Dilemma" has some questionable lyrics, although he makes the medicore number very good. My favorite song from the score is "You and Me", however. Andrews and Roberts are really sensational in it. Next is Andrews and Norui's not so lilting romantic ballad, "Almost a Love Song", which seems memorable. However, after a few measures, the melody looses its tunefulness. Andrews' "Living in the Shadows", however, is excellent and has a haunting melody. Some lyrics don't come off so well sung, but on paper, they're fine. The big finale of a title song is also very nice. Some lyrics again, are questionable.
So, I've picked on the lyrics of the score the most. However, they are the most troublesome element of the show. Mancini's music also doesn't shine every song.
The CD packaging is nice, with a synopsis and an essay by composer\Andrews' friend, Andre Previn.
If you're a Mancini or Andrews fan, I'd recommend this. If not, there are some nice songs, but it's not worth every penny.

other reviewers of this product have all highlighted that the music and lyrics are not quite up to scratch, and I have to agree. They are by no means of the same callibre as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb or the great Cole Porter. But, the performers in this show work hard to make sure that the dodgy rhymes work. Especially Rachel York in 'Paris Makes Me Horny'.

This CD does nothing for this show. It highlights it's problems but does nothing to prove that it has standing as a true Broadway Show. I would suggest that anyone interested in this item should turn their attention to the DVD version of the full length musical staged at the Marquis Theatre, New York. This DVD shows how good the show actually is - there are moments when you roar with laughter, and you forgive the lack of showstopping numbers.

The inimitable Rachel York steals every scene.

Not the greatest show in Broadway history, but certainly not the worst.

VICTOR/VICTORIA was tricked out for the Broadway stage in 1995, and would help usher in a whole slew of screen-to-stage adaptations (STATE FAIR, HIGH SOCIETY and THE PRODUCERS to name but a few). Once again, Julie Andrews essayed the title role/s, with an expanded score by Henry Mancini, Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn.

Julie Andrews suffered several bouts of illness during her time in the show, which eventually forced her to leave the production. Liza Minnelli and Raquel Welch later played Victoria before the musical closed in early 1997, resulting in a loss of about $4 million. The national tour featured both Ann Runolfsson and Toni Tennille but was a mild success. The outcome?...Julie Andrews OWNS the show and it can never be a success without her!

Though many people, including myself, believed that Andrews would have been better-showcased in a revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC or even LADY IN THE DARK, she gives a thrilling performance in V/V's stage incarnation. Though the new songs aren't a patch on the originals, they serve a purpose and move the plot along briskly.

Andrews is joined by a stellar cast including Tony Roberts (SUGAR) as Toddy, Michael Nouri as King Marchan, Rachel York as Norma, Tara O'Brien as the street-singer and Gregory Jbara (the one-time husband of Rebecca Luker) as Squash Bernstein.

This is a must-own for Julie Andrews fans.

I thought the musical was supposed to be even bigger and better--but from this CD, it's obvious that it's Not! It just seems silly the changes that were made from the movie version. One of my favorite songs 'The Shady Dame from Saville' was totally cut and this frothy 'Louis Says' was put in its place. Dreadful! The 'Shady Dame' was such a wonderful way to end the movie as well, and it was some obnoxious 'Victor/Victoria' thing. I Know most musicals have a song that goes with the title, but really, it was just obnoxious. I saw the live touring performance--it wasn't any better! So....be ware! For die-hard Julie Andrews fans, it's a big let down from the film.

I bought this disc because I couldn't see this show. (Later, I could see it on television.) And, of course, I'm a big fan of Julie. Julie is a really big star! I like her singing. Of course, her voice isn't the voice at 60's. But, her voice and English accent is very good. Maybe, her singing and lines are so clear that I could hear them. Julie is a Saint, to say nothing without. Wonderful Julie!

This soundtrack is amazing Julie andrews blows me a way... The only thing that is wrong is that Le jazz hot is not on this album...

From the Overture to the finale of Victor/Victoria, I love this soundtrack. Having seen Julie Andrews in her brief reappearance in the title role in April 1998, I think the soundtrack is well done. It not only include the well-written songs but also includes just enough dialog for the listener to replay the highlights of the Broadway production. (I also saw the traveling musical of Victor/Victoria in Salt Lake City last month-- 3/99.) and am glad I purchaed the original Broadway soundtrack with Julie Andrews. The original Broadway vocalists are so much more professional and have richer voices.