Amour is a musical fantasy with an English book and lyrics by Jeremy Sams, music by Michel Legrand, and original French lyrics by Didier Van Cauwelaert, who also wrote the original French libretto.
The musical is adapted from the 1943 short story Le Passe-Muraille by Marcel Aymé and set in Paris shortly after World War II. It centers on a shy, unassuming clerk who develops the ability to walk through walls, and who challenges himself to stick to his moral center and change others' lives, and his own, as a result.
Production In 1997, Legrand, a noted film composer and jazz musician, and a newcomer to stage musicals at age 65, brought the musical (under its original title, Le Passe Muraille) to Paris where it won the Prix Molière for Best Musical.
The Broadway production, directed by James Lapine and presented without intermission, opened on October 20, 2002 at the Music Box Theatre. The show closed after 17 performances and 31 previews. The cast included Malcolm Gets and Melissa Errico.
The musical received mostly negative reviews in America, although Errico, Gets and the score were praised. Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times, wrote: "Even charming is too weighty a word to describe the wispy appeal of Amour"Brantley, Ben."Theater Review: A French Milquetoast's Talent Lights the Fuse of Mischief" The New York Times, October 21, 2002 The Talkin' Broadway reviewer, however, wrote: "Broadway's Music Box Theatre may have found its most ideal tenant in quite a while. The delightful little jewel box of a musical, Amour, ...deserves a lengthy stay there, where it may enchant audiences for a long time to come."Murray, Matthew."Broadway Review: 'Amour'" Talkin' Broadway, October 20, 2002 Cary Wong in filmscoremonthly wrote: "The lyrics are mostly pedestrian and uninvolving, and they make the already stock characters even more one-dimensional." He does note that "...while there is a lot to admire in this musical, it's too much of a chamber operetta to compete with the likes of 'Hairspray' and 'La Boheme'."Wong, Cary. "'Amour' Musical Review" Filmscore Monthly, November 2002, accessed November 28, 2016
A "reconceived production" was produced by Goodspeed Musicals from August 11 through September 4, 2005, directed by Darko Tresnjak.Jones, Kenneth."Will 'Amour' Be Lovelier the Second Time Around? Goodspeed Reconceives Legrand Musical, Through Sept. 4", Playbill, August 12, 2005, accessed November 28, 2016
Amour made its European premiere in a new production presented by Danielle Tarento at the Charing Cross Theatre from May 2 to June 8, 2019, with direction from Hannah Chissick, choreography by Matt Cole, musical direction by Jordan Li-Smith and designed by Adrian Gee. The production starred Gary Tushaw as Dusoleil, Anna O'Byrne as Isabelle and Alasdair Harvey as the Prosecutor, alongside Elissa Churchill, Claire Machin, Keith Ramsay, Jack Reitman, Steven Serlin and Alistair So, with understudy Laura Barnard. Amour was nominated for 8 Offies, and received the 2020 Offie for 'Best Costume Design' and 'Best New Musical'.
Characters Dusoleil: a self-proclaimed "ordinary guy" who discovers he can walk through walls Isabelle: an unhappily married woman and the object of Dusoleil's affections Whore, Painter, Newsvendor: three street workers who support Dusoleil Prosecutor: Isabelle's husband, a man with more than a few skeletons in his closet Boss: Dusoleil's nasty boss Doctor Roucefort: Dusoleil's doctor, who gives him the eventual cure to his intangibility Madeleine, Claire, Charles, Bertrand: Dusoleil's co-workers. The women reveal feelings for Dusoleil when they discover he is the elusive "Monsieur Passepartout" Policemen: "henchmen" hired by the prosecutor to keep the people of Montmartre in check Monsieur le President: President of the tribunal that tries Dusoleil Advocate: Dusoleil's lawyer, who appears on behalf of Dusoleil on his very first day in court
Plot In Paris after World War II, a shy, unassuming "invisible" civil servant, Dusoleil, lives alone and works in a dreary office under a tyrannical boss. His lazy co-workers are unhappy because Dusoleil is a hard worker who finishes his work early. To pass the time, he writes letters to his mother and daydreams about the beautiful Isabelle. Isabelle is kept locked away by her controlling husband, the prosecutor-general with an unsavory past. When Dusoleil miraculously gains the ability to walk through walls, he begins to steal from the rich and give to the poor. He also gains the self-confidence to woo Isabelle, who is intrigued by the news stories about Passepartout, a mysterious criminal who can walk through walls.
Dusoleil's life, as well as Isabelle's and the other characters, takes a rich and, for a while, romantic turn. As Dusoleil admits to being Passepartout, he is put on trial in front of the prosecutor. Before the trial progresses, Isabelle reveals her husband's secret—that he was a Nazi collaborator. Dusoleil is pardoned and he spends one romantic night with Isabelle. When he takes pills that the doctor has given him, mistaking them for aspirin, he loses his magic power. He becomes stuck mid-leap in a wall, and his memory is carried on in story and song.
Song list
Act One 1. "Opening" – Company 2. "Office Life" – Dusoleil, Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles 2a. “Office Life Playoff (Optional Number)” — Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles 3. "Dusoleil Leaves The Office" – Dusoleil 4. "Other People's Stories" – Isabelle and Dusoleil 5. "Street Vendors' Waltz" – Whore, Painter and Newsvendor 6. “Taking Rent/Combo” — Policemen, Prosecutor, Whore, Painter, Newsvendor, Isabelle and Dusoleil 6a. “Rent Playoff (Optional Number)” 7. "Dusoleil Walks Through the Wall" – Dusoleil 8. “Dusoleil Is Puzzled” — Dusoleil 9. "The Doctor’s Song" – Doctor 10. “The Doctor’s Diagnosis" – Doctor and Dusoleil 11. "An Ordinary Guy" – Dusoleil 12. “Extra, Extra!” — Newsvendor 13. "The New Boss Arrives" – Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles 14. "Your Brand New Boss" – Boss, Dusoleil, Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles 15. “Dusoleil Insulted” Boss and Dusoleil 16. "Revenge" – Boss, Dusoleil, Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles 17. “Bread Song” — Dusoleil, Isabelle and Prosecutor 18. “The Two Policemen” — Policemen 19. "Somebody" – Isabelle 20. "Prosecutor's Song" – Prosecutor 21. "The Whore's Lament" – Whore and Dusoleil 22. “Extra, Extra! Reprise” — Newsvendor 23. "Monsieur Passepartout" – Dusoleil, Newsvendor, Painter, Whore, Madeleine, Charles and Policemen 24. “Quartet” — Madeline, Whore, Newsvendor, Painter, Prosecutor, Policemen and Isabelle 25. "Isabelle’s Song (Special Time of Day)" – Isabelle 26. “Dusoleil In Love” — Isabelle and Dusoleil 27. “Forget It — Act One Finale (Waiting) — Painter, Dusoleil, Policemen, Newsvendor and Bystanders
Act Two 28. "Java Of The Latest News" – Newsvendor, Whore and Painter 28a. “Prison Director’s Song (Optional Number)” — Prison Governor 28b. “The Two Prison Guards (Optional Number)” — Prison Guards 29. "Dusoleil in Jail" – Dusoleil 30. “Madeleine And Claire In Love” — Madeleine and Claire 31. “News Vendor On The Radio” - Newsvendor 32. “Dusoleil On The Run” — Dusoleil 33. “Dusoleil Talks To The Painter” — Dusoleil and Painter 34. "Street Painter's Song" – Painter 35. "Isabelle On Her Balcony" – Isabelle, Dusoleil and Prosecutor 36. "Transformation" – Madeline and Company 37. "The Lawyer’s Plea" – Monsieur le President and Lawyer 38. "Trio For Witnesses" – Monsieur le President, Nun, Whore, Communist and Prosecutor 39. “Summing Up” — Prosecutor, Monsieur le President, Chorus, Isabelle and Dusoleil 40. “Dusoleil Fights Back” — Dusoleil, Isabelle, Prosecutor, Monsieur le President and Chorus 41. "Duet For Dusoleil And Isabelle" – Dusoleil, Isabelle and Chorus "Whistling Ballet" – Dusoleil, Lawyer, Whore, Monsieur le President, Communist and Nun 43. "Amour" – Isabelle and Dusoleil 44. "Love’s Hangover" – Dusoleil, Newsvendor, Doctor and Company 45. "Serenade" – Dusoleil and Isabelle 46. “Dusoleil’s Postlude” — Dusoleil, Isabelle and Company
Recording A recording of the musical was released by Ghostlight on July 8, 2003."'Amour'" SH-K Boom site; "'Amour'" Barnes and Noble
This recorded album features an abridged song list.
"Overture" – Company "Office Life" – Dusoleil, Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles "Going Home Alone" – Dusoleil "Other People's Stories" – Isabelle and Dusoleil "Street Vendors' Waltz" – Whore, Painter, Newsvendor, Policemen, Prosecutor, Isabelle and Dusoleil "Dusoleil Walks Through the Wall" – Dusoleil "The Doctor" – Doctor and Dusoleil "Ordinary Guy" – Dusoleil "Dusoleil's Revenge" – Boss, Dusoleil, Madeleine, Claire, Bertrand and Charles "Somebody" – Isabelle "Prosecutor's Song" – Prosecutor "Whore's Lament" – Whore and Dusoleil "Monsieur Passepartout" – Newsvendor, Painter, Whore, Madeleine and Policemen "Special Time of Day" – Isabelle and Dusoleil
"Waiting" – Dusoleil "Latest News" – Newsvendor, Whore and Painter "Dusoleil in Jail" – Dusoleil, Madeleine and Claire "Painter's Song" – Painter "Isabelle on Her Balcony" – Isabelle, Dusoleil and Prosecutor "Transformation" – Company "The Advocate's Plea" – Advocate "The Trial" – Monsieur le President, Madeleine, Whore, Painter, Prosecutor, Dusoleil and Isabelle "Duet for Dusoleil and Isabelle" – Dusoleil and Isabelle "Whistling Ballet" – Dusoleil, Painter, Whore, Newsvendor, Madeleine and Policemen "Amour" – Isabelle and Dusoleil "Dusoleil Meets the Press" – Dusoleil, Newsvendor, Doctor and Company "Serenade" – Dusoleil, Isabelle and Company
Honors and awards
Original Broadway production Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result2003 Tony Award Best Musical Best Book of a Musical Jeremy Sams and Didier Van Cauwelaert Best Original Score Michel Legrand, Jeremy Sams and Didier Van Cauwelaert Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Malcolm Gets Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Melissa Errico Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Outstanding Book of a Musical Jeremy Sams Outstanding Actor in a Musical Malcolm Gets Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Christopher Fitzgerald Outstanding Director of a Musical James Lapine Outstanding Orchestrations Michel Legrand Outstanding Lyrics Didier Van Cauwelaert Outstanding Music Michel Legrand Outstanding Set Design Scott Pask
References
External links Internet Broadway Database listing Curtain Up review Links to international cast albums Synopsis at guidetomusicaltheatre.com