This week’s album review is of the cast recording of the
2015 revival production of Gigi, the musical, adapted by Heidi Thomas and
directed by Eric D.
Schaeffer – starring Vanessa Hudgens as Gigi, Corey Cott as Gaston,
Howard McGillin as Honoré and Victoria Clark as Mamita. The production closed
on June 21st 2015 but the soundtrack is still available to purchase.
Based on the 1944 novella by Colette, Gigi was first adapted
for the Broadway stage by Anita Loos in 1951, with an unknown Audrey Hepburn in
the title role. My understanding of Gigi is that it is a tale of “high-end
grooming and prostitution” which is supposed to be very French; by this I mean
very sexual yet classy, Parisian in its feel and driven by a real je ne said quoi. This soundtrack is
missing all of the above. It sounds asexual, über American and carries no real
spark or joie de vivre. If anything, it’s demonstrably un-sexy, which
was a real disappointment to me.
