Based on the romantic novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils, the musical updates the story to 1940s German-occupied Paris.
It tells the tale of a 40-year-old ex-singer and her affair with a young musician who is mixed up with the French Resistance, whilst she is the mistress of a Nazi officer.
Co-authors and producers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg announced an early closing date of 13 September 2008 (it had been scheduled to run through 1 November 2008).
This production was entirely different from the original staging in London, completely rewritten book and lyrics by Alain Boublil and his wife Marie Zamora.
New musical numbers were written by Michel Legrand and completely new orchestration added by William David Brohn.
The main actress Hana Fialová in the leading role was nominated for the Thalie Award in the category "operetta, musical and other musical-dramatic genres" for outstanding female stage performance.
The original version of the show had one of its first 'Out of London' stagings at The Mill Studio in Guildford from 12 to 15 January 2011, by PH Productions, featuring Becky Van-Orden as Marguerite and Oliver Trumble as Armand, supported by a cast of 16.
[1] The first London revival of Marguerite was staged by Alex Parker Productions[2] from 3-28 October 2012 at the Tabard Theatre,[3] having undergone extensive reworking.
The score received a rigorous re-working by Jude Obermüller, featuring a new 7-piece orchestration and additional lyrics by Callum McIntyre.
The citizens of Paris sing about Marguerite, who was once a well-known lady of Parisian society ("Come One Come All") but who is now the lover of a German officer.
Marguerite is delighted to learn that they are a swing band and encourages everyone to leave the table and dance while Annette sings "Jazz Time".
Marguerite and Armand share a passionate kiss as the all-clear siren sounds ("China Doll (Reprise)").
The next day, the band members reflect on the changing state of Paris, while Armand sings of his new passion for Marguerite ("Time Was When").
Lucien and Annette are at home listening to coded radio messages when they hear that the French government will force Jews to wear an identifying mark.
Annette meets her resistance contact, Saurel, who gives her a briefcase full of documents and tells her to smuggle them out of Paris.
Annette goes to Armand's flat, arriving at the same time as Hermann, who captures her after finding incriminating documents in her bag.
Otto is sitting in a darkened room with Marguerite's love letters, singing about his feelings ("I Hate the Very Thought of Women").
Lucien, furious at Armand for putting Annette in danger, enlists him to take a new job that Saurel has arranged from an unknown contact: the assassination of Otto.
Realizing the letter she sent was a means to save him and understanding the danger she is in at the hands of the French people, he runs to find her.