How can you go wrong with one of Broadway’s bests in one of Broadway’s greatest stage roles of all time? You really can’t!
“Gypsy” is by far one of the greatest musicals ever written; I love its score and story with burning passion as much as I love “Sweeney Todd.” But when someone with a strong sense of staging dynamics like George C. Wolfe takes the reins and also presents us with the first Black Rose and her daughters on the Broadway stage (about time I should say), it makes this musical tale of the American Dream even more compelling and semi-tragic than the musical already was to begin with.
What we are presented with is a take on Rose where you don’t feel like you wanna resent her for what she does to her daughters, but truly feel for her in her plight to give her daughters a better life. Wolfe has gone about in highlighting it all, as well as making the stakes much higher, with these fresh new undertones and character dynamics he’s provided within his flawless staging. And the best part of it is it all shines through in Audra McDonald’s richly layered Rose. Her command of the stage is impeccable as much as the control in her voice, it’s a show of its own watching her turn it on and off and on again to get what she wants, and to see the vulnerability crack through the mask of maternal authority Rose puts up more than just in “Rose’s Turn” is honestly quite refreshing to see to let us know she Is indeed human. The only thing is that McDonald is much more a legit singer than a belter, but that doesn’t take anything away from the magnificence she brings to the role from start to finish.
And by her side is an equally memorable Danny Burstein in the form of a Herbie with probably the most heartbreaking character arc I’ve seen created for the character. Of course no one wants to see a person have their heart smashed over the course time (in the case of this show years), but watching Burstein go through it is like reading the gorgeously emotional highs and lows one finds in a 19th century novel; he’s evocative in the best way possible. He hasn’t failed me yet, and he certainly hasn’t failed me here.
What’s sad here is that it’s hard for me to point out the weak links in this production, and sadly for me it was Louise herself: Joy Woods. I mean, I wasn’t drawn to her when I saw “The Notebook” either, but we’re supposed to see Louise truly grow and evolve into her stage name, and watching Woods’ portrayal felt plateaued and uninspiring. And when she got to the point of becoming Gypsy Rose Lee, I still felt I was looking at a little girl and not a full fledged woman. Even Jordan Tyson as June was a bit monotonous and kinda whiny to watch, and she’s only in the first act. I guess for me there’s just something about actors from “The Notebook” I don’t find intriguing (maybe that’ll change over time). But if you wanna see some real show stealers, wait till the second act stripper song starring Lesli Margherita, Mylinda Hull, and Lili Thomas; that number alone with its grand slam individuality coming from all three of them can bring down the house as much as McDonald did in “Rose’s Turn.”
And on top of the performers, you’ve got some truly robust creative elements coming in the form of Santo Loquasto’s gloomy-to-glitzy set design (working car included), Toni-Leslie James’ time-perfect costuming, and Camille A. Brown’s tap-ifyingly radiant choreography. This whole spectacle is an undying love letter to show business in every way possible in the best way possible!
“Gypsy” is just one of those theatrical gems you can’t help but ogling over and over again no matter what path the team takes, and with the path this one has taken, it will go down as another winner in the history books. Let them entertain you for nearly three hours; you will not be sorry!
