A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE
Irma La Douce
Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 1w, 20m
David Heneker, Monty Norman, Julian More, Alexander Breffort, Marguerite Monnot
Book & Lyrics by Julian More, David Heneker & Monty Norman
Music by Marguerite Monnot
Based on the original book and lyrics by Alexander Breffort
Irma is one of Paris' most successful poules (tarts). She falls in love with Nestor, a penniless law student. She decides for the first time in her life she will have a mec (pimp). Nestor is jealous of Irma's customers and decides he must become her only buyer, so he disguises himself as Monsieur Oscar, a rich old fossil who asks only companionship, yet provides enough grisbi (money) to become her exclusive patron.
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Cast Size
1w, 20m -
Duration
More than 120 minutes (2 hours) -
Subgenre
Period, Romantic Comedy -
Target Audience
Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14-18)
Details
Summary
Irma is one of Paris' most successful poules (tarts). She falls in love with Nestor, a penniless law student. She decides for the first time in her life she will have a mec (pimp). Nestor is jealous of Irma's customers and decides he must become her only buyer, so he disguises himself as Monsieur Oscar, a rich old fossil who asks only companionship, yet provides enough grisbi (money) to become her exclusive patron.
Nestor soon becomes exhausted from his numerous jobs, studies, and lovemaking. Irma decides that Oscar is not getting his money's worth and seduces him more passionately than she ever has Nestor. This makes him more jealous than ever and he decides that Oscar must die. However, in killing-off his alias, Nestor is convicted of murder and sentenced to Devil's Island. When he learns Irma is with child he escapes on a raft and finally proves (by paying off the judge) that he and Oscar are one and the same - all this in time to witness the birth of his child on Christmas Eve.
History
Saville Theatre, London - 17 July, 1958
Plymouth Theatre. Broadway 29 September, 1960 (527 perfs)
Cast Attributes
Performing Groups
- Time Period Contemporary
- Setting
Paris, France
Devil's Island
At Sea
- Features Period Costumes
- Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Cautions
- Mild Adult Themes
Licensing & Materials
- Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.
Please submit a license request to determine availability.
Authors
David Heneker
Monty Norman
MONTY NORMAN was born in London in 1928, the only child of Jewish immigrants from Latvia. From an early age, Norman showed an interest in music; he wrote songs, performed and appeared in radio, television and stage variety shows. Compositions for the West End theatres include ...
Julian More
JULIAN MORE made his theatrical debut in 1954 while attending Trinity College in Puss in Red Riding Breeches, a pantomime for adults. After moving to London, More wrote the book and lyrics for three of the biggest musical comedy successes of the 1950s – Grab Me a Gondola, Exp ...
Alexander Breffort
ALEXANDRE BREFFORT was born in Nièvre, France in 1901. After working a series of odd-jobs, Breffort was hired as the editor at Le Canard Enchaîné (The Chained Duck) in 1934. A pacifist, Breffort traveled throughout Europe during World War II before returning to Paris. Breffor ...
Marguerite Monnot
MARGUERITE MONNOT was a French songwriter and composer, best known for having written many of the songs performed by Édith Piaf (“Milord,” “Hymne à l'amour”) and for the music in the stage musical Irma La Douce. As a female composer of popular music in the first half of the t ...