VICTOR/VICTORIA A Musical Comedy in Two Acts, 16 Scenes. Book by Blake Edwards. (Based on the musical film of the same name, screenplay by Blake Edwards, which was based on the German Ufa film "Viktor und Viktoria" conceived by Hans Hoemburg and written by Rheinhold Schuenzer.) Music by Henry Mancini. Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Marquis Theatre, New York: Opened 25 October 1995; closed 27 July 1997 (738 perfs) THE STORY Carroll Todd ("Toddy" to his friends) is tenuously employed as the resident performer at Henri Labisse's Left Bank gay club, "Chez Lui." Toddy and Les Boys entertain the small but appreciative audience. Toddy insults a group of customers which includes his ex-boyfriend Richard. Labisse threatens to fire him A penniless English soprano, Victoria Grant, auditions unsuccessfully for Labisse. Toddy tries to help, but Labisse rejects her and fires him. Toddy befriends Victoria, and offers her shelter from the wet wintry night in his tiny apartment. They become instant friends and confidantes. Toddy wishes he were a woman, like Victoria, while Victoria believes that there are far more advantages to being a man. Richard, the ex-boyfriend, arrives at Toddy's unexpectedly to collect his things. Victoria is by now wearing his hat and pyjamas. Richard mistakenly thinks she is Toddy's new boy-friend and insults Toddy. Victoria punches Richard and kicks him out. Toddy is impressed. Richard actually thought Victoria was a man! And at that moment The Inspired Idea strikes Toddy right between the eyes. Why not? Victoria could indeed be a man - Europe's greatest female impersonator! Victoria says he's crazy. Toddy pursues his argument, and dreams up Count Victor Grazinsky - a gay Polish aristocrat and Toddy's new lover. "It will work," he assures Victoria. "It will not!" says Victoria. They'll never accept a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman! - "They'll know he's a phoney!" "Exactly," says Toddy. "They'll know he's a phoney! " Toddy drags the reluctant Victoria to meet Andre Cassell, Paris's leading impresario, who is dubious about "Count Victor Grazinsky" until he hears "him" hit a glass-shattering high G-flat. "Victor" is in business. "Le jazz hot!" introduces Victor to Paris café society. His show-stopping performance at once makes him the toast of Gay Paree. The only doubter of Victor's authenticity is a dashing American businessman - cum - gangster figure, King Marchan, visiting Paris with his brassy girlfriend Norma and his loyal bodyguard Squash. King is convinced Victor is a woman, and determined to prove it. At Cassell's opening night party for Victor, King invites Victor to tango with Norma, hoping to prove his point. Victor's tango is a sensation. Norma is thrilled King is thwarted, and starts to doubt himself. He finds Victor attractive as a woman .. but what if he's a man? By an unwelcome coincidence, King and Norma and Squash find themselves in the adjoining hotel suite to the newly successful Toddy and Victor. Norma tries to seduce King. She succeeds only in making him impotent Next door, Victoria bemoans to Toddy that in King she thinks she has finally found the man of her dreams, but here she is trying to convince him that she is a man, too! Victor continues to take Paris audiences by storm. Norma complains to Victor and Toddy that King is shipping her back to Chicago because he fancies Victor - a man! King confronts his doubts about himself and Victor. Is it possible that he, King, is falling for a man? He invites Victor and Toddy to dinner to try and find out. After dinner they visit "Chez Lui," where Labisse also has his suspicions that Victor is a woman. He
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