‘Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen’ review: Duncan Sheik’s musical adaptation gets kink right, but falters elsewhere

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is a tale of sex, love, loss, and perseverance. And ahead of the show’s Off-Broadway debut on Oct. 15, 2026, the cast and crew of this production were hit with the loss of Duncan Sheik, who wrote the music and lyrics for this musical. The American singer/songwriter, who previously wrote the music for Spring Awakening, died one week before his new musical began preview performances. And the loss of him certainly hangs over the production for fans.

However, the message of this musical might well be a balm for all those who grieve, be it the loss of a great love or the death of a great musician.

Of course, set mostly in a brothel, where Parisian sex workers cater to a variety of kinky clientele, there’s much more than heartache here. Busting with verve, sex appeal, and cheeky humor, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is a downtown show well worth its ticket price. Set on a round stage, with mirrored satellite posts for added flair, director/choreographer Rob Ashford creates an immersive theatrical experience that welcomes audiences into the hot and vibrant world of a brothel known as the Night Egg.

What’s Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen about?

This English-language musical is based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Moyoco Anno. While Sheik wrote the music and lyrics, Leah Nanako Winkler wrote the musical’s book. Its story centers on a young French sex worker named Colette (Sophia Anne Caruso), who romanticizes the brothel she calls home.

This comes as a surprise to a Japanese tourist named Sakae (Marc Delacruz), who fancies himself a writer. Eager to exploit what he assumes will be the squalid details of her life, he pays Colette to write her thoughts in a journal, which he wants to turn into a novel of his own. Amused by the idea, Colette initially believes she’s writing a love story. She paints fond portraits of the other girls and her madame (Jenny Powers), and speaks with compassion for the men who come to act out their fantasies. But her greatest passion is for her roguish beau, Leon (Cory Jeacoma).

They fell in love in a humble farming village, but dreamed of more. He was to be a great artist, and she to be his muse and wife. But the reality is he’s become a degenerate gambler who’s pushed her into prostitution, and she can’t see all the ways he takes advantage of her big heart. No matter how many of her friends tell her in song (“Obvious”)! But Colette’s vision of love will be shattered when Leon falls for Nana (Nkeki Obi-Melekwe), an escort with high class and a price to match.

Sophia Anne Caruso shines in Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen; Nkeki Obi-Melekwe dazzles.

Sophia Anne Caruso as Colette in “Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen.”
Credit: Andy Henderson

With her blunt bob, Colette exudes joy, sex appeal, and naivete, and so feels very reminiscent of Cabaret‘s Sally Bowles. However, she is the hero here, and as such, she gets more of a chance to grapple with the contradictions around her. Her voice swerves from delicate to belting without quaver, terrifically building Colette’s emotional journey through tone.

Petite in frame, Caruso displays the fragility of this young woman without even trying. When she flings herself upon a strong and towering Jeacoma for a fervent embrace, he lifts her as if she’s as light as a feather.

Later, her size and strength of voice comes into play in the choreography of “Immured,” when a sensational staging detail places Colette on a park bench that elevates from the stage, high above the audience. Her feelings essentially allow her to fly above the audience. And in a brilliant move, the slats of the bench create striped shadows that recall the harsh contrast lighting of noir, reflecting a gripping low point for her character.

Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Nana in “Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen.”
Credit: Andy Henderson

And Caruso is surrounded by a sensational supporting cast. Jeacoma is infuriating yet undeniably sexy as the cad Leon. Powers is curious and compelling as the mysterious Madame, while Leanne Antonio, Elsa Keefe, and Jaedynn Latter are, in turn, stirring and funny as her colleagues. But Obi-Melekwe is a showstopper as Nana, a terrific foil to Colette.

Where the waif heroine imagines sex work as a place to impactfully employ her compassion and joie de vivre, Nana knows the profession’s darker side, and it has hardened her. Where Colette is girlish, naive, and carefree, Nana is mature, manipulative, and complex in a way few characters here are allowed to be. At first, she’s a rival, but through her song “On Any Given Night,” she becomes an unexpected path forward for Colette. In some actresses’ hands, Nana might come off a bit baffling or ambiguous. But Obi-Melekwe infuses every strut and song lyric with an emotional depth that speaks to experiences the musical doesn’t dare dive into.

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen doesn’t go dark enough.

Cory Jeacoma and Sophia Anne Caruso as Leon and Colette in “Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen.”
Credit: Andy Henderson

As you might expect, Colette’s cheery vision of her situation is eventually tarnished. However, while this musical production is gleeful about getting kinky onstage, with some cheeky nudity, simulated sex positions, and lurid scenarios playing out, it refuses to show the dark side of the Night Egg. Through Carmen, Colette learns the horrors that await a sex worker who can’t play nice anymore. But the show allows only a glancing look at this harrowing element.

Now, because the story is from Colette’s perspective, you could argue this light touch on such darkness is intentional. But a similarly shallow approach is offered to her friends, who become caricatures — the lesbian bestie fawning over a straight girl, the hardened working girl, and the crazy one. This too might be excused by Colette’s need to believe everything around her is good or at least okay. However, as the third act involves a lot of characters declaring her an insightful writer, these flimsy depictions become a problem, which is echoed in Sheik’s music. While playful and fun in a ’90s club way, the lyrics reflect this same surface-level awareness of the world, even through the finale.

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen does right by kink (mostly).

Austin Lesch as Emile in “Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen.”
Credit: Andy Henderson

Surprisingly, while the girls around Colette get little love in terms of complexity, the amorous gentlemen get plenty. One song number introduces a male-presenting mustachioed client named Willy (Caleb Marshall), who desires to be shaved while being regarded as a naughty lamb. The women surround him dressed as shepherdesses, and gamely play along, gleefully scolding Willy while caressing those legs with a straight razor. After the scene concludes, Colette observes that Willy must go home and play the man that the family demands. But she addresses Willy with feminine pronouns, recognizing the trans identity this client only feels comfortable revealing in the Night Egg.

Other scenes involve Ulysse (Michael Starr), a man who wishes to be seen and treated as a dog; Emile (Austin Lesch), who yearns to play voyeur as female clowns disrobe; and Henry (Michael Everett), who likes to dress as a bird during sex. In most of these scenarios, the sex scene is played with joy, embracing the desire of the client without judgment. And in some cases, the client will share an intellectual or psychological intimacy with Colette, offering life advice or observation with matched compassion. The actors in these scenes shed not only their clothes, but also the toxic masculinity that would shove them into a narrow box of sexual acceptability.

“Your Perversion is Our Pleasure” performed in “Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen.”
Credit: Andy Henderson

Except for Henry. His number (“Your Perversion is Our Pleasure”) is at the start of the show, and in a flustering choice, Colette writes off his desires as “he wants to fuck birds.”

However, even with these fumbles, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is a terrific experience. The scenic design by Scott Pask is minimal, relying on a bench here and a bed there, but used impactfully. The satellite platforms that flank the stage allow for the ensemble to enhance a moment through dance, reaction, or lurid provocation. Then, the lighting design of Brian Tovar smoothly accents mood with color and shadow. The costume designs by Catherine Zuber build character in an instant, expressing class or lack thereof, and giving the suggestion of nudity in playful ways, yet not shying away from the titillation of a well-displayed rear.

All this craftsmanship combined with a crackling cast makes for an Off-Broadway show that’s saucy fun and solidly moving.

Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is now playing through Jan. 3, 2027.