‘Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen’ – Entertaining; Risqué

By Alix Cohen

Belle Époque Paris. Memoirs is the story of a young fille de joie (bordello prostitute) who endures tragic love to find unexpected independence as an author.

Colette (Sophia Anne Caruso) is content at her well run Maison close. She hasn’t been trapped or forced. Neither abuse nor drugs are present. Madame (Jenny Powers) is stern, but benevolent, her peers congenial. Only longtime ‘resident’ Carmen (a terrific Elsa Keefe) shows instability with increasing delusions of rescue.

The House particularly caters to fetishes. In this narrative, all are harmless. There’s a client who only feels “seen” in a marvelous bird costume, one who gets off dressed as a clown, a shepherd, and a man on his hands and knees, leashed as a dog. (Michael Starr- wonderful!) The ladies dress to support each fantasy.

Both filles de maison and habitués are clear about the benefits of role playing. There’s no guilt, no judgment. Enacted vignettes are playful, sex (with one exception) so broadly depicted, they’re not sexy. Despite the peppering of crude words in lyrics, action is more stylized than salacious.

“I heard there’s a certain type of girl who becomes a whore,” Sakae (Marc Delacruz) suggests to Colette. She disabuses him of cliché assumptions. “Are their perversions really your pleasure?” he presses. “That depends how you define pleasure,” she responds.

Surprised not only by the whore’s articulate opinions, but that she can read and write, Sakae hires Colette to keep a journal hoping it might become the basis for his first novel.

The heroine is besotted with Leon (Cory Jeacoma), a handsome “bel-ami” who use charm as currency, gambling his lover’s money while promising a future on which she naively counts. She ignores the warnings of her peers.

Meanwhile Leon is in pursuit of the infamous courtesan Nana (Nkeki Obi-Melekwe) who’s way above his pay grade. (Sakae is also a client) She toys with the young man until he shows unforgivable disrespect. There are consequences.

Sakae and Carmen’s lives dramatically suffer. (He’s never clearly drawn.) Leon gets his comeuppance. Colette rises like a phoenix from ashes, eventually recognized as une femme de letters (a published author.)

Duncan Sheik’s rock/pop songs move plot along without being memorable. They evince no French influence – a missed opportunity.

Leah Nanako Winkler’s Book is a saga of female empowerment that eschews preaching. Framed as a homogenized glimpse of Belle Époque society and sex, the musical entertains without offending – though humor would be welcome.

Sophia Anne Caruso (Colette) and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe (Nana) are powerful vocalists and good actors. Caruso credibly presents vulnerability, obsession, despair and self-possession with history; Obi-Melekwe – pride, audacity, and anger. As Leon, Cory Jeacoma manifests a familiar narcissistic bad boy. Warmth towards Colette would make his betrayal more affecting. Marc Delacruz could do more to distinguish Sakae.

Direction (Rob Ashford) is splendid. Use of the stage, its periphery, platforms and aisles keep us effortlessly immersed. Players shift sufficiently that we rarely see backs for too long. Clients are enthusiastic, the ladies low key – neither emerge caricatures.

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is colorful and entertaining, stops just short of being salacious, and offers chewable ideas.

Bordello red and period furniture create 19th century atmosphere in a lounge/bar waiting area a flight above the theater.
Scott Pask (Set) liberally drapes the entire venue in what appears to be heavy, crimson cloth. Four platforms with full length mirrors and ornate chandeliers add ambience around a raised, circular stage. An embellished wrought iron bed descends from above. Lighting (Brian Tovar) creates film noir sensibility.

Costumes (Catherine Zuber) are a marvelous mélange of Belle Époque influenced lingerie, men’s period underwear, and street ensembles There’s lots of skin, but nothing near what one finds in burlesque. Nipple covers sewn onto flesh-colored leotards are clownish. Hair & Wig Design (Tom Watson) is aesthetically pleasing and appropriate..

Sound Design (Cody Spencer) is excellent except for Collette’s full out solos which lose articulation.

Opening: Sophia Anne Caruso- Photo- Andy Henderson

Colette is inspired by the author Colette (1873–1954) whose first six novels were credited to exploiting husband Willy (here there’s a client called Willy.) Her novel Chéri (1920) features an aging courtesan involved with a much younger man. Mes apprentissages is the chronicle of a visit to a brothel in Marseille. Both were published under her own name after divorce. She was never a prostitute.

Nana is based on author Emile Zola’s courtesan who rose in the ranks to the demi-monde, captivating wealthy men and aristocrats, ultimately bringing many of them to ruin. The book offers a vivid portrait of Parisian sexual and social decadence.

Moyoco Anno is one of Japan’s most renowned, award-winning manga artists, known for her deep exploration of character psychology and her vast worldwide fan base. Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen was serialized in a manga magazine from 2013 to 2018, and later published as a two-volume set.

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen
Book- Leah Nanako Winkler
Music & Lyrics- Duncan Sheik
Based on the Manga graphic novel, by Moyoco Anno
Music Supervision & Incidental Music Arrangement- Or Matias
Directed & Choreographed by Rob Ashford
‘The Night Egg’ at the Culture Club 530 West 27th Street https://www.memoirsmusical.com/