When refined British soprano Victoria Grant finds herself down on her luck in Paris, she discovers to her dismay that producers and nightclub owners are looking for a sound that is much less “legitimate” than hers. On the brink of starvation, she is rescued by Toddy, a warm, generous, and flamboyant nightclub singer, who gets a brilliant idea: dress Victoria as a man, and pass her off as a female impersonator, where she will delight the whole of Gay Paree with her eerie gender-bending and astonishing vocal range. No sooner does Victoria find success in her new role, then she falls in love with King Marchan, a tough Chicago nightclub owner and possible gangster who oozes masculine appeal. King, in turn, is terrified to find himself falling for a man, and refuses to be believe that “Victor” is truly “Victor”. With hired detectives creeping through her hotel room, King’s showgirl lady friend Norma Cassidy out for some jealous revenge, and King’s sweet bodyguard, Squash Bernstein, revealing his homosexuality to smitten Toddy, Victoria’s life is a whirlwind of complications. Can she really go through life being Victor/Victoria? Victoria must decide which is more important: a thrilling new career, or a sweet and sudden love. With a jazzy, sophisticated score by Henry Mancini and Frank Wildhorn, and a clever book by Blake Edwards, Victor / Victoria is a wise, warm, and moving story about self-discovery, tolerance, and second chances, as well as a sparkling ode to the city of Paris, and giddy, flamboyant, creative nightlife of the 1930s.
Victor/Victoria guide sections
