The musical focuses on Proust's obsession with his red-haired mistress, Albertine. Departing from the typical 'boy meets girl' plot, it explores the darkness of jealousy. Young Marcel, the hero, irrationally believes that Albertine is having lesbian affairs while older Marcel (played by a different actor), reflects on this seminal period in his young life interacting with himself at 17. Simple lullabies and children's songs reflecting Marcel's childish character before his affair are juxtaposed with operatic dirges, capturing the tragic effect of his self-inflicted destruction of happiness. This fascinating play preserves both the essence and themes of Proust's work.
Excerpted from "MAKE MINE RARE...BUT WELL DONE! ," as featured in Happy Talk, Volume 13, Issue 2 - Fall 2006:
"My Life With Albertine, with music and lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon, book and lyrics by Richard Nelson and based on the work of Marcel Proust, is a rich and complex piece about the importance of love and art. Intertwined with the story of Marcel and his obsession with the alluring Albertine, we see that the artist lives his art while he creates it. The musical is both lush and intellectual, aurally conjuring up the spirit of the fin-de-siècle Paris—the impressionistic paintings of Degas, Monet and Toulouse Lautrec, combined with the poetry of Verlaine and Baudelaire. Deemed one of the creative heirs to Stephen Sondheim, Ricky Ian Gordon devises a show that pushes the boundaries of musical theatre for a thoughtful and probing audience. “...The music seems to swirl with regret, romance, fear and, yes, a sense of lost time, suggested by the wayward strains of an accordion.”—Ben Brantley, New York Times"