Review by Paul Towers, 20/6/23
Gypsy, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Jule Styne
Directed by Keiran Whelan-Newby
Produced by Keiran Whelan-Newby
At The Little Theatre until Saturday 24th June 2023
“full to the brim with hummable songs”
Gypsy is the ultimate pushy showbiz mother musical.
Rose, the stage mother from hell (Debbie Longley-Brown), has been trudging round the variety circuit in the 1920’s just as it is crumbling. Popular entertainment is being replaced by burlesque acts, a euphemism for strippers. Rose’s Kiddie Act, a vehicle for Baby June (Ava-Lily Creed and then Katie Proctor), her perennially 10 years old daughter. Older sister Louise (Ella Brown and then Rose Bale) is the original Spare relegated to the background along with various boys/young men, all merely wallpaper to the star, June.
Then, in Rose’s eyes, disaster strikes when June discovers boys and runs way with Tulsa (Peral Ball/Pixie Ball and then Tim Stokes) to form a new act. And then, like a burst dam, L.A. (Aaron Kirby/Ciara Daisley and then Simon Butler), Yonkers (Eva Barratt/Amelie Wilson-Knight and then Joe Dickinson) and the rest of the boys leave. With contracts to fulfil Rose and manager Herbie (Tony Whitmore) convince Louise to take over and front the act.
As the Variety circuit fades Rose and her girls find themselves booked into a Burlesque theatre and, desperate to get paid, she devises a ‘classy’ strip routine for Louise where she teases but never reveals a thing and Gypsy Rose Lee is born.
In Gypsy there are several stand out moments for actors to shine and even stop the show. One of my favourites is the cod strip routine that Electra, Mazeppa and Tessie Tura (Victoria Price, Karen Gordon and Liz Kavanagh Knott) perform to You Gotta Get A Gimmick. Of course as the entire story is really about Rose’s aspirations she has the two defining numbers in the show. Every Thing’s Coming Up Roses closes the first half and Debbie Longley-Brown gives it everything. But it is Rose’s Turn at the end of the second half that tears the heart out of the audience as Rose begs for a turn in the spotlight. Longley-Brown does both numbers to perfection.
As well as the main cast there are an ensemble of competent actors fleshing out the stage. David Lovell as Pop, Rose’s grouchy father, is a joy.
Gypsy is full to the brim with hummable songs (just don’t singalong!) and laugh-out-loud moments and is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 24th June
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