Review: Gypsy

[Quirk]

I've only seen Tyne Daly's Rose, and I thought she was fantastic. I'm a big fan of hers from way back, though, so I'm impartial. Never been a Peters fan, and don't even mention Ethel Merman to me.

I and a group of friends met PLP backstage after seeing her as Maria Callas in 'Master Class' some years back -- a woman I knew at the time is an old childhood friend of hers. She was quite gracious.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by Quirk

I've only seen Tyne Daly's Rose, and I thought she was fantastic. I'm a big fan of hers from way back, though, so I'm impartial. Never been a Peters fan, and don't even mention Ethel Merman to me. I and a group of friends met PLP backstage after seeing her as Maria Callas in 'Master Class' some years back -- a woman I knew at the time is an old childhood friend of hers. She was quite gracious.
I've only seen bits and pieces, but it seems La LuPone was fantastic in "Master Class." Not surprising. And yes, she's very gracious. She personally answers all of her fan e-mail. I've gotten multiple responses

Oh, and IMO, Ethel Merman was the worst Rose. I don't care if she was the original. Lansbury, Tyne, LuPone and even Buckley blow her out of the water. The woman could not act.

 

[SoCal2NYC]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Let me start off by saying that Gypsy has long been one of my favorite musicals. It was written in an era when Broadway was really at its peak, and when Sondheim and Styne knew how to create a blockbuster (the former still does, of course). It was also created in a time that wasn't far removed from the play's staging era: the last gasps of vaudeville.

Consequently, I walked in expecting a tremendous performance. And oh was it tremendous. As per usual, Patti LuPone pours her heart and soul into the coveted and legendary role of Mama Rose, the original tyrannical stage mother. Her voice literally lifted the roof off at the closing of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn." Rose's intensity in these two songs gave me some really hardcore goosebumps. Patti was downright frightening (as Rose should be). Now, all of this praise doesn't mean complaints are nonexistent. Many have noted that Patti has difficulty wrapping her voice around the "oo" and "e" vowels. For example, in "Everything's..." she sang "everything's coming up ros-aaaas" instead of "ros-ehhhhs." Those who whine about this clearly know little about La LuPone or this musical. The two greatest iterations of Rose, Ethel Merman and Angela Lansbury, sang in a similar manner.

But the thing that makes LuPone's Rose special is that she adds her own little twist to it. Unlike Merman, Patti is a phenomenal singer and actor. She knows exactly how to make this script work and elicit the most laughs, tears, or applause whenever necessary. Her wicked, nasty, "we gotta do it" attitude was delivered with near-perfection in the scene that preceded her manic breakdown in "Rose's Turn." This song provoked one of the most instantaneous and tremendous standing ovations I've ever seen. It was downright scary and maniacal. This may have been the best "Rose's Turn" ever...if you listen to the '56 cast recording, Merman is able to belt it with ease, but there isn't any of the desperate selfishness in her voice; Lansbury's "Turn" was too polished; and Bernadette sang it well enough but did not add the necessary nuances. LuPone was loud, brassy and downright insane. It was one of the best things I've ever seen.

While Patti clearly shined in this, the supporting cast showed why this musical is called "Gypsy" and not "Rose." Laura Benanti is absolutely STUNNING as Gypsy Rose Lee. Holy **** can this girl sing. Leigh Ann Larkin as June was also really great...it was easy to understand why June ended up hating Rose for what she had done. Great performance. Boyd Gaines's Herbie was probably the best ever. He was humane, timid, vitriolic, everything that Herbie needed to be at different times. Just brilliant.

This production of "Gypsy" was not perfect. I don't think there ever was or ever will be a perfect "Gypsy." But it came damn close. The reviews are so positive that a production in London is almost guaranteed and, afterwards, a Broadway run is possible. I sure as hell hope so. This cast and production simply begs to be seen more than once.

You

are

so

*******

GAY.