 |
 |
Gypsy Reviews
|
|
|
|
|
| What to Expect: |
| Acting: |
 |
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
 |
| Story: |
|
|
|
|
| Recommended For: |
|
Anyone: |
 |
|
Adults: |
|
|
Tourists: |
 |
|
Seniors: |
|
|
|
|
|
| 16 |
Powerhouse Patti Review by: DWC, Sep 12, 2008 |
| Patti LuPone is simply amazing as Mama Rose, a part she was born to play. Her performance soars. She portrays a far more feminine,sexy Rose than previous Roses but still conveys perfectly the ruthless drive and egotistical motivation that characterizes this mother of all stage mothers. Laura Benante is wonderful as Louise, and the classic confrontation between mother and daughter at the conclusion of the play was expertly performed. My main ... read more negative was the pedestrian, minimalist set which resembled what you might see in a high school with budget problems. Otherwise, this show is a must see for Patti's performance. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
|
|
|
|
|
| 17 |
See it Review by: Carol, Sep 7, 2008 |
| Patty LuPone is an enormously talented actor surrounded by a very fine cast. The story is compelling based on Gypsy Rose Lee's autobiography. If anyone can step into the role created by Ethel Merman, it's Patty LuPone. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 18 |
Patti LuPone's performance Review by: WilPowerMom, Sep 4, 2008 |
I saw this show in the City Center (Manhattan) in their Encores series last year as part of a High 5 promotion for area teenagers (which means I got to go as the accompanying adult for $5). Patti LuPone chew up the scenery with her performance. She was terrific and the rest of the cast were good but nothing compared to Rosalind Russell.
I'd see this just for Patti LuPone. It is one of the few plays I'd consider paying ... read more full price for (being a native New Yawker, I rarely pay full price to see a Broadway show!). |
|
|
My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
 |
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Kids
|
Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists
|
|
|
|
|
| 19 |
Once in a Lifetime Broadway Performance Review by: Terio818, Aug 29, 2008 |
| Seeing Patti Lupone play Mamma Rose is like watching history in the making. Timeless. Talent like hers is pretty rare and I am so excited I got to see her in this musical. I feel like I can die happy! |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
|
|
|
|
|
| 20 |
The greatest musical of the 20th Century! Review by: wc213, Aug 23, 2008 |
| WOW! This is by far the best thing I have ever seen on Broadway! Patti Lupone blows the ROOF off the the theatre, just like Ethel Merman did nearly 50 years ago! GO SEE IT. This is what Broadway is all about. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Family
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 21 |
Solid Performance but No Need to go again Review by: wislaw97, Jul 24, 2008 |
| Saw the show last night. I enjoyed the orchestra on the stage very much!! They were great and made it feel like old time theatre. Patty Lupone was great but her voice was a little nasal but I think it might have been the sound in the theatre. I enjoyed here performance but thought the actresses playing Louise and June were actually better actresses. All in all a solid 7-8. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
|
|
|
|
|
| 22 |
I thought this was a great show! Review by: cat, Jul 15, 2008 |
Patti Lupone was outstanding! Even though she was performing with an injured foot and wore slippers throughout the entire show, she still danced and sang as though nothing was amiss. Unfortunately for the rest of the cast, when Ms. LuPone entered the stage they became almost invisible--we found we could not take our eyes off of her.
The two young women who play Louise and June were very good, although I found their relationship to be a bit ... read more unbelievable--really, if your mother promoted your sister at every turn and didn't think much of you, would you have warm fuzzies for the brat? I think not.
We were not disappointed in this show. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
|
|
|
|
|
| 23 |
Top Notch -- Must See! Review by: , Jul 9, 2008 |
Fantastic. You must see Patti Lupone. She makes that show a complete success.
I thoroughly enjoyed this show -- especially the casting. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
|
|
|
|
|
| 24 |
Invest your time with a night with "Gypsy!" Review by: AML, Jul 5, 2008 |
This is probably the best Gypsy performed since the original. I have seen most of the recent versions of the show and movie, B. Peters in recent San Mendes version, Tyne Daly in 1989, the movie with Rosalind Russell from the 1960's and the little mentioned Bette Midler TV movie from 1993.
This was the best production of them all. I had seen the Sam Mendes "reinvention" of the show about 4 years ago with Ms. Peters. Sam Mendes, ... read more famous for winning the Oscar for directing American Beauty, and restaging the "reinvention of Cabaret" with Alan Cummings and to many people, Mr. Kate Winslet. Unfortunately, his genius shown in AB and Cabaret, did not work with his reinterpretation of "Gypsy." The show was somewhat "dark" in it sets and presentation which in theory should work with the on going psychosis of the main character Mama Rose. However, it just did not seem to come together. The supporting cast to Ms. Peters, Mama, but Ms. Peters was very miscast for the role, or at least, was miscast for Sam Mendes interpretation.
With Lupone's Mama, unlike the Peters version, you see many sides of Mama Rose and her relatonship with her characters. Instead of being a "straight evil and psychotic character" Lupone presents Mama, at core as a mother who really loves her kids and Herbie, but the pressures and drive for success transform her into an unstable and wicked stage mother, who slowly seems to want success more for herself than the what is good for her children.
Ms. Lupone who has an incredible gift with her voice which I honestly believe does not have a "common singing voice" that allows her gift to transfer to all parts and characters and the stage, like Ms. Peters can, is the perfect voice for Mama Rose. Many people would agree that this role is one that Ms. Lupone was born to play for this very reason, the strength and sound of her voice is perfect for the "over the top" singing for the character. version, as well as her "over the top acting" style that served her well with the very famous roles that she originated like Eva Peron in Evita, Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd in London and now Madame Rose in Gyspy. Unlike Ms. Peters as many critics will say, when Ms. Lupone is not playing over the top characters like her in Gypsy, her performance and singing is not as magnificant as in the roles I mentioned, as evident in the original London Cast album of Les Miserables on which Ms. Lupone originated the role of Fantine. Though it is an "esemble play" Ms. Lupone's talent hardly stand out by any means, and is even hard to believe that the actress playing Fantine, is the same actress who originated quite spectacturely the role of Eva Peron on Broadway.
Ms. Peters, though a far better actress than Ms. Lupone, seem unfortunately stuck between the over the top character of Mama Rose and the weak interpretation and directing by Mr. Mendes. Ms. Peters was not allowed to truly show her acting talents with the role, since instead of the transformation in Mr. Laurents original book that allowed us to have some sympathy and understanding of the reasons for choices that Mama Rose. From the start, we see Mama Rose as an unsympathetic character(Unlike the current Laurent/Lupone version) that is became a night of watching an all evil one dimensional characterization. In addition the many of Mendes' changes, did not take into account that some of the dialogue especially in a role both vocally and physically exhausting, to allow the necessary rest in between numbers and scenes to sing her heart out 8 shows a week. I honestly believe because of her frequent absenses from the show during her run, because of sheer eshaustion, it really cost her the TONY that year, and brought unneeded publicity to a great show, that was poorly reinterpretated and directed.
All that said, the current Gypsy is the best version probably since the Merman version, with Lupone's voice rivaling the strength and power of Merm |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Family
|
Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
|
|
|
|
|
| 25 |
Pure Broadway! Review by: sonja, Jul 2, 2008 |
| This was one of my lifetime "musical moments"! I kept wanting to pinch myself...was I really seeing Patti LuPone?! Oh my, what an experience. This is what Broadway is built on. |
|
|
My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Family
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 26 |
gypsy/talent galore..see it Review by: Amelia, Jun 30, 2008 |
| If you sit in the highest balcony go at least three rows up...couldn't see (thankfully we moved our seat further up)....the show was incredible! The acting superior! Everything about it was great. a must see. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 27 |
Totally worthy of the Tony Awards. It's a night I'll never forget! Review by: musicmatters007, Jun 25, 2008 |
Go see it! There is no question in my mind that Gypsy will satisfy whatever need you walk into the St. James theatre with. I went with my father, his friend, and her daughter. We had second row seats. I guess that when I went in, I was expecting it to be like every other show that I've seen.
It wasn't.
The book was phenomenal. I, being a Stephen Sondheim near-worshipper, thoroughly enjoyed the music. I could not sleep ... read more that night because I had it in my head. On the contrary to some other reviews, I thought that the Baby June scenes were very funny. They are supposed to seem repetitive to show that it's the only act they have been doing for years. I totally thought that both Laura Benanti as Louise and Boyd Gaines as Herbie deserved their Tony Awards. They were both fantastic. In regards to Patti LuPone, she is the star. She is supposed to steal the show. In fact, thats who her character is. She was phenomenal and her acting was most certainly not "one-dimensional". This was probably the best Broadway show that I have seen yet. Some of the content may not be appropriate for younger children, but it comes down to the parents' choice. Go see this show. It will be a night you never regret. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Family
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 28 |
Review by: Philly theatre lover, Jun 17, 2008 |
I saw the original production of GYPSY and was very curious to see it with Patty LuPone. The problem is that she totally overwhelms everyone else in the show and it appeared to me that the other actors just stood back and let her run away with it. I cannot understand the Tony voters giving awards to "Louise" or "Herbie" as their acting struck me as wooden.
Like a reviewer below, I thought it was overlong and the repetition of the ... read more Baby June sketches was boring. Couldn't wait for it to end.
Not recommended unless you're a die hard Patty fan and then you'll probably love it, even with her one-dimensional acting (as another reviewer said). |
|
|
My recommendation:
Don't go
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
|
|
|
|
| 29 |
This "Gypsy" Is More Than Simply Patti's Impressive Turn Review by: Steve Z, Jun 16, 2008 |
| I fell in love with musical theater as a teenager attending the Boston tryout of "Baker Street" (Fritz Weaver, Inga Swenson) in 1963, and have seen hundreds of musicals since then--on Broadway, off Broadway, on the road, and in regional and community theaters. This production of "Gypsy" is the high point of my theater going experience. Mama Rose is a real challenge for any actress, as she is a monster with whom you must empathize for the ... read more show to work. Patti Lupone easily conquers the role with a heartbreaking performance that left me emotionally drained as I slowly (I couldn't move for a time) exited the house. Her steely but at base vulnerable charisma makes Herbie's (a longing pitch-perfect performance by Boyd Gaines) love for her understandable, and Louise's (a carefully and painfully developed character transformation by the superb Laura Bennati)inability to ever really totally cut her loose an achingly believable choice. Not only is Patti Lupone the finest Mama Rose I have ever seen, but this is the best balanced production of "Gypsy" I have ever seen. I saw and loved "South Pacific" as well, but "Gypsy" should have won "Best Revival" last night at the Tony Awards. If you have not seen "Gypsy", I urge you to take the opportunity to do so. It is worth a special trip to New York. |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
|
Recommended for:
Anyone
|
|
|
|
|
| 30 |
GYPSY Again, BUT You Must See Patti LuPone in Gypsy Review by: dallashouston, Jun 10, 2008 |
| GYPSY again on Broadway, do I really have to see it again?? I even saw the City Center version in July of 2007? But to see the (almost) entire cast from CC again was a definite "YES." Everyone was spectacular in their roles - Patti LuPone, Laura Bennati and Boyd Gaines are the trio that makes GYPSY come alive once more. And, I believe although it is now a well known fact, this is DEFINITELY Patti LuPone's role - no one has a voice like her - she ... read more is the 21st Century Broadway musical diva. Can she deliver a note!! I really don't know how she can perform this role eight times a week, every week. I would go back to see "GYPSY" every night just to hear her sing "Rose's Turn." What a (about)five-minute performance that can actually give one chills (that hopefully gives her a second Tony - she has my vote in this category). The energy exerted in this number is simply amazing and well worth the price of admission - a good thing it is five minutes to curtain after that. Judi Dench won an Oscar for being on screen for 13 minutes a few years back, certainly Patti LuPone deserves the Tony for the entire performance of Rose. However, she deserves it for just the performance of those five minutes of the most amazing, can't miss, don't miss minutes in current Broadway history. Overall, she is surrounded by some of the funniest, talented performers currently on Broadway which makes the show an overall "GO SEE." |
|
|
My recommendation:
must see!
|
| Acting: |
|
| Music: |
|
| Production: |
|
| Story: |
|
I saw this show with:
Alone
|
Recommended for:
The Entire Family, Business Assoc., Seniors
|
|
|
|
|
|
| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
|
