Irma La Douce (musical)
- Irma, a prostitute, called " la Douce "
- Nestor le FRIPE, law student
- Bob le Hotu, bartenders and narrator
- Hippolyte, Irma's pimp
- Frangipane
- Police Inspector
- Roberto le diams, pimp
- Joyo les Yeux, pimps
- Persil le Noir, pimps
- M. Bougne, owner of a dance hall
- Group: Gendarme and prisoners
Irma la Douce is a French musical in two acts. The music is by Marguerite Monnot, the book and the lyrics are from Alexandre Breffort. The premiere took place on 10 November 1956 at the Théâtre Gramont in Paris.
As the first French musical, it made the leap to London and then on Broadway. The first performance in London's West End was on 17 July 1958 at the Saville Theatre on Broadway on September 29 1960 at the Plymouth Theatre.
The musical was nominated seven times for the 1961 Tony Awards (including " Best Musical " and " Best Music " ) and won them a ( Elizabeth Seal as the "Best Musical Actress ").
The German -language premiere was held in Baden-Baden Theatre on January 24, 1961.
Action
The musical is set in the fifties of the 20th century Parisian entertainment district near the now-demolished market halls.
Protagonist is the prostitute Irma, who ( the sweetness ) is called by her numerous admirers " la Douce ". When one day the penniless law student Nestor lost in the entertainment district and Irma gets to know, he falls head over heels in love with her. In a scuffle, he succeeds in eliminating Irma's pimp Hippolyte and now even take his position. If he Irma then handed over the money earned by " closing time " and tells of their customers, grabs him by the jealousy. He decides undetected even to play Irma's free and so much to give her that she is no longer dependent on other customers. The plan seems to work: Every day he disguises himself as a wealthy older gentleman named Oscar and Irma visited. However, he does not want that from her, what others want, but is satisfied with stimulating conversation. Initially, makes the 1,000 - franc bill his rounds: Irma pays Nestor of view, this allows you to get as Oscar appearances, Nestor receives the certificate again from Irma etc.
Then, when the money is still scarce because Irma and Nestor must also challenge their livelihood from the earnings, Nestor works extremely hard every night. Irma is always proud that she alone has such a rich suitor who also hardly wants something from her. She starts to show off her beau. But because it awakens only in Nestor 's jealousy - on himself! He looks at the rich Oscar as rivals and is determined to make it disappear from the scene. To make matters worse, he cursed him even in public.
As in a delusion Nestor grabs his Oscar - lining into a ball and throws it into the Seine. As Irma's rich admirer fails on subsequent days, Nestor is suspected of murdering him. He is arrested and sentenced. But in the deportation to Devil's Island Cayenne him able to escape. When reached him the message, Irma was pregnant by him, he lets his alter ego rise again, returned to Paris and shows up there as Oscar. So that his innocence is proved and the marriage with Irma, nothing stands in the way.
Well-known musical numbers
- Valse milieu
- Our Language of Love
- Dis - donc, Dis - donc
- The Wreck of a Mec
- Irma La Douce
- There Is Only One Paris for That
Filming
Billy Wilder filmed the piece in 1963 as a non- musical, but used for the film, the music by Marguerite Monnot. The German release title is Irma la Douce.