Rating: 
Summary: Think of this as a Broadway swan song for Julie Andrews
Review: I suppose there would be those who would see this 1995 Broadway production of "Victor/Victoria" starring Julie Andrews who did not see the 1982 movie "Victor/Victoria" starring Julie Andrews, but that has to be a rather insignificant minority. That matters because the chief enjoyment here is watching Andrews in what turned out to be her swan song as a performer. We all know the story about a woman pretending to be man impersonating a woman, so it is going to be the star, the performances, and the music that matter.
The music is actually the weakest part of this music once you get past the "Jazz Hot" number from the original film. Henry Mancini was writing music for the show when he died and Frank Wildhorn was called in to write some more songs, but none of them are standout show tunes. "Paris by Night," the opening song is okay, but it comes back as a tango and then again as a reprise, and each time it just flat out loses something. Then there are the lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, which manage at one point to rhyme "sexy" with both "apoplexy" and "taxi." There are lots of instances of the lyrics getting too cute and most of the songs are trying to provide psychological insights into the characters instead of being nice declarations of feeling and intent set to music that you at least want to hum out loud.
Most of the songs do not test Andrews' voice all that much and I got the real sense that she was measuring herself throughout the show, the way an actress who does eight shows a week would have to in order to avoid disappointing her fans. Fortunately it is only when the Street Singer (Tara O'Brien) comes along to belt out a tune that you realize the star does not have the best voice in the show, which is not that surprising we are talking about someone returning to Broadway after being away for three decades. But the show is supposed to be a love fest for the star, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I liked the performance of Tony Roberts as Carol Todd (Toddy), where he brought a casual ease to the role and made it work by doing it quite differently from how Robert Preston did in the film. Michael Nouri also plays King Marchand in a lower key while Rachel York's Norma Cassidy goes way over the top and pretty much steals every scene in which she appears. Ironically, her one big number is the only place in the film where it becomes all too much, but she does get the biggest laugh in the show when she follows up on a sudden desire to become a nun. The other key member of the supporting cast, Gregory Jbara as Squash Bernstein, also does a solid job and has the best moment in the big finale as well.
Usually a musical where you do not care for the music is not going to be worth catching, but while this version of "Victor/Victoria" is not as much fun as you would like it to be it is enjoyable enough. Just do not be surprised when watching it makes you want to go back and watch the original movie again or to go back and listen to the original Broadway cast recordings of some of the classic musicals that Julie Andrews was in way back when.
Rating: 
Summary: Andrews is Wow in Superb Victor Victoria
Review: I was lucky enough to see Julie Andrews on Broadway in Victor Victoria - early in the run and late in the run. Her radiant performance gave me two of the most memorable evenings of theater I have experienced. How lucky we are for this beautifully-mounted preservation of the stage production. This is the best video of a Broadway show I have seen - and a tribute to Andrews' ever-shining star.
Rating:
Summary: A really fun show, luckily preserved
Review: I was lucky enough, in 1995 to not only see "Victor/Victoria," but to get backstage to meet the lovely and truely gracious Ms. Andrews. While the show has it's problems, it's not nearly the disaster critics made it out to be. Thirteen years after the huge success of the film, Ms. Andrews re-creates her role for the stage (how many other actresses can play the same role, convincingly, 13 years later.) While Michael Nouri, in my opinion, is no match for James Garner, Tony Roberts is a delightful Toddy and Rachael York makes Norma her own. Lesley Ann Warren was BRILLIANT in the film version, Ms. York is equally as stunning in this production and was ROBBED of not only a Tony nomination, but the award itself. A must-have for all Broadway collectors, the shows flaws (primarily the book) can be easily overlooked due to the fabulous performances, brilliant technical achievements (sets being the most obvious) and terrific production values. Get it now!
Rating:
Summary: A really fun show, luckily preserved
Review: I was lucky enough, in 1995 to not only see "Victor/Victoria," but to get backstage to meet the lovely and truely gracious Ms. Andrews. While the show has it's problems, it's not nearly the disaster critics made it out to be. Thirteen years after the huge success of the film, Ms. Andrews re-creates her role for the stage (how many other actresses can play the same role, convincingly, 13 years later.) While Michael Nouri, in my opinion, is no match for James Garner, Tony Roberts is a delightful Toddy and Rachael York makes Norma her own. Lesley Ann Warren was BRILLIANT in the film version, Ms. York is equally as stunning in this production and was ROBBED of not only a Tony nomination, but the award itself. A must-have for all Broadway collectors, the shows flaws (primarily the book) can be easily overlooked due to the fabulous performances, brilliant technical achievements (sets being the most obvious) and terrific production values. Get it now!
Rating: 
Summary: Dangers of putting films on stage
Review: In cinematic history, studios have quite frequently gone to the theatre stage as a source of inspiration. More and more, lately, the reverse is proving true with the likes of Broadway and London's West End attempting to put the screen on stage. From the Lion King, to The Graduate, and now, Victor/Victoria. The 1982 film was one of Blake Edward's most successful in a long history of filmmaking. Never really a musical, as such, it used music and musical numbers in a purely natural setting; singing in a cabaret act for example, but never did it cross the barrier into pure musical-dom by having casts of characters all singing the same song in the middle of a street for no apparent reason. Given the nature of Victor/Victoria, it seems almost natural to carry it through to a stage version. And for the most part, the attempt succeeds. (Although, knowing the film version well, it was difficult to see the actors breaking the wall of musical numbers between cabaret acts, and bedroom antics.) The new musical numbers are well written, witty, and fun. Everybody does an exceptional job with the singing and are able to belt out the numbers with confidence. The dance routines are sparkling, and the orchestrations exquisite. Where the stage version begins to falter, is the slapstick routines that only barely worked in the film. Blake Edwards is known for and is keen on slapstick. We have seen this in his previous works such as The Pink Panther series and The Party. There is always a poor sap getting his hand caught in a door, falling off a stepladder, tripping over a rug. The breath of fresh air in Victor/Victoria, the film, is that this was kept to a minimum, and the central story remained the focus. In the staging of the musical, however, the slapstick never quite works and we are left wondering why it was allowed in the first place. The character of Henri Labisse is not used effectively as the one who discovers that the he/she is actually a she/he/she and is left confusing the audience as to his real purpose. At times, this grand musical is reduced to a bedroom farce that went out of style in the early seventies. Perhaps a complete re-working of that character would have been in high order. When watching a staged filming, bear a few things in mind. Acting (and directing) for the stage is far different than for the screen. Makeup is thicker, whispers are non-existent, the voice is bolder, and the facial expressions are constantly trying to reach the back row of the theatre. What is intended to be a 3 dimensional experience for an audience, is left 2 dimensional when filmed, and the 'magic' of the cinema cannot be captured from the stage. Conversely, there is nothing more magical than being in a theatre and viewing the changing sets, the extreme dance numbers, and being drawn past the 'fourth wall'. Unfortunately, it is near impossible to create the magic of the theatrical stage on screen. That being said, the production qualities of this particular Victor/Victoria is exceedingly well done. They do not allow stagnant camera angles or allow their cameras to be locked down. All the focus is where it should be, and rarely is the screen cluttered up with extraneous peripheral which would steal from the focal point. There is no doubt that Victor/Victoria on Broadway was a stunning success and, I repeat, the actors and dancers are marvellous. I am certain that, if I had watched it in the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, my opinion would be that of sheer delight. However, on a television screen, the result is not only second best, it's second rate.
Rating: 
Summary: Julie Andrews Swan Song is Flat
Review: It is inconceivable to me why Miss Andrews would consent to this vehicle being adapted to the stage after such a tremendous success on the screen. These transitions rarely work as proven with "Gigi", "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", etc. In this case, what makes it worse is using the same creators to adapt it to the stage. HELLO? Henry Mancini is NOT a musical theatre composer. Why wasn't Jerry Herman asked to write the score? Blake Edwards is a great film director and has no business near the stage. Calling Hal Prince! Rachel York and Tony Roberts were completely useless with the lame material. Talented people gone to waste. The most tragic element was Julie Andrews having to plod through this drek night after night. What a shame she had to make her comeback in such an unflattering way! She would have been wonderful as Anna in the "King & I" revival. This production of VV contributed highly to Miss Andrews voice problems and ultimately the total loss of her singing voice. The fact that it is now preserved for posterity on video to remind us of this is most distressing. Could we please have the 1982 film on DVD to bring back pleasant memories?
Rating:
Summary: See the Real Victor/Victoria and get the movie instead!
Review: Julie Andrews is back where she belongs, on Broadway. BUT not in this version. She deserves better. Julie Andrews is fair in this production. I was however very disappointed with Tony Roberts acting abilities. He came off as a straight man playing a gay role. There was no camp, pizz-azz or acting on his part. I really don't know why he was chosen for this role. Don't waste your time watching this production when you can see the WONDERFUL movie version with James Garner. There the cast shines in this musical and you WILL go away singing Le Jazz Hot!
Rating:
Summary: The last of Julie's voice?
Review: Knowing that his wife possessed one of the best examples of on-stage charisma in all of the theater, Blake Edwards (and company) crafted an old-fashioned musical extravaganza specifically to showcase the wonderful talents of Julie Andrews. In an unusual move, Edwards adapted his 1982 film VICTOR/VICTORIA for the Broadway stage, thereby serving up Andrews in conjunction with one of his biggest film hits, and one of her best movie roles. Adapting the farce for the theater required filling out the film's score, and re-structuring the story in order for it to work on stage. The final result was terrific fun to watch, but rather disconcerting for those who loved the movie version. Andrews was a hit, of course, and the play moved along with pace and flair. This new DVD is a high-definition tape version of a performance of the play that was prepared for Japanese television. It looks great, letterboxed at about 1.75:1, with the camera(s) moving subtly to give us different angles that we would never have seen from the theater seats. The sound is a problem, however, in that the Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks isolate the front channels to the two left/right front speakers, with the center channel only occasionally coming into active play. This makes the sonic experience rather hollow-sounding, and oddly displaces the action. The cast and orchestra sound fine, but pulling the sonic field toward the edges, as it were, is unsettling. But at least we have the show documented, and that is a major triumph, as this production marks the last time that Julie Andrews sang in public before losing her voice to botched vocal chord surgery. The stunning impact of that loss is shocking to think about, as it means that one of the finest, most versatile and appealing musical theater performers of the last century has been silenced. It's therefore wise to enjoy and hold onto this copy of the production, despite its shortcomings, because of what it means, and I choke even as I write this line - most likely the last we'll hear of Julie's incomparable singing voice.
Rating:
Summary: The best filmed production of a stage musical ever?
Review: Let's get the tough stuff out of the way first: No, the show ain't that great. It is, in a number of significant ways, inferior to the 1982 film. The book has a number of problems, mostly on display in the first act. However, it's pretty easy to overlook most of the show's flaws, because what it gets right it gets right in spades. The cast is impeccable: Julie Andrews, Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri, Rachel York, Gregory Jbara, and everyone else give their all and then some. The show was, for the most part, well directed. The sets are stunning. The costumes are quite good. Just about every song works onstage, and most of the new material fits into the show quite well. Perhaps most importantly, this show is stunningly produced. You really feel like you're in the theater watching the show, and you see everything you need to see, when you need to see it. Whether you like or hate the show, if you like musicals, you need to get Victor/Victoria. It is, perhaps, the best video adaptation of a stage musical ever, at once flawlessly preserving the stage production, while still being a completely "television" experience.
Rating:
Summary: Musicals as they should be preserved.
Review: Musicals get lost in memory because they are rarely taped. What a treat to see a musical taped as it really was on Broadway. Not a
screwed up movie version but the real thing. Victor Vittoria
wasn't the best musical ever to open on Broadway, but what a treat to preserve Julie Andrews Broadway Performance. Too bad, we couldn't have Ethel Merman's Gypsy, or Michelle Lee and Tommy Tune's Seesaw. I hope they tape more musicals this way.
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