Finally, can we say, a to test year, it seems counterintuitive to congratulate an evil apologist, a thieving liar, a fake patriot and a toxic parent who exploits their children in pursuit of fame. But when the world is a sad, sleazy circus, all the more reason to embrace the solace of art. The wonderful Audra Mcdonald blossoms as Rose in what could be a very touching scene Gypsy you will see. The fifth Broadway revival of this underrated classic, and the third I've seen after those starring Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone, the current version carries a thousand-volt electric charger and descends on the Majestic with the force of a tornado. McDonald's is the center that throws the thunder of that storm, reminding us that the origin of Audra said a storm.
Surrender yourself to Hurricane Audra and you'll find yourself in familiar territory; director George C. Wolfe does not try to recreate the masterpiece, but introduces important differences. McDonald breaks out as the first black actress to play Madame Rose on Broadway. In Wolfe's imagination Rose is a Black character, as are the daughters she relentlessly pushes into showbiz, the talented Baby June (Jordan Tyson) and the entrant Louise (Joy Woods)—who was remarkably light-skinned. We may suppose that they came from different fathers; Rose refers to three previous husbands. June is a child who Rose believes is the most popular of vaudeville stardom.
Wolfe doubles down on the whitewash theme when Rose leaves Seattle for “Other People,” a Jule Styne original and Stephen Sondheim's epic score. The mother of all stage mothers includes Baby June and Baby Louise in Edson and stage roles (the gifted Marley Gomes and Summer Rae Daney played little June and Louise in the play I attended). In one of the few cringe-worthy pictures created by legendary novelist Arthur Laurents, Rose and the girls pick up three boys on their journey to Los Angeles, each named after the place where they are found (or kidnapped?): Little Rock, Tulsa, and so on. Each talented young man is played by a young Black actor. When children grow up Gypsy's memorable flash forward (to a grinding, jazzy cover of “Stars and Stripes Forever”), the boys' place is replaced on stage by older, white performers. Apparently, Mama Rose thought this act needed a new coat of paint.
This touch of color from the 1920s and the popular entertainment of the '30s helps to reinforce McDonald's gut-wrenching performance as a woman who fights on many fronts, with the ferocity and shamelessness to destroy her. To be sure, McDonald is not turning Rose into a saint. He's still a single delusional person living off his children, depriving them of freedom, happiness, and even adulthood—in their 20s they say they're 12 years old. Written by Laurents as somewhat manipulative (the real Rose Hovick was gay and violent), Rose keeps her detective and boss Herbie (supermensch Danny Burstein) dangling with promises of marriage. How Rose will be happy when she expresses Herbie's love, then opens a sensual attraction to find her way suggests a series of back stories: from trauma to spousal abuse to, of course, practice.
Another unique move is McDonald's vocal attack. Listen to streaming albums from Merman to LuPone and you'll see that Styne's showbiz-esque hits, “Everything's Coming Up Roses,” and the best numbers, “Small World” and “You'll Never Get Away From Me,” are often call the voice of the head. Driving hard, piercing, nose: Rose pushes in the air and in the song. The age-trained McDonald brings a soft chesty, bel canto soprano that creates a psychological tension with her earthy, working-class spoken lines—more Leontyne Price than Angela Lansbury. The conflict between Rose the street fighter and Rose who sees herself as a true artist is well captured in this separation. McDonald's can still be bad, of course. In the eleventh hour “Rose's Chance,” after Louise gains fame as the “smart rebel” Gypsy Rose Lee and rejects her controlling mother, Rose expresses anger, regret, and guilt. The number, powerfully effective and cathartic on a level few other musicals have ever achieved, simply flattens you. McDonald plays him green, desperate, depressed. He's pushing Rose to the brink of insanity, and we're going crazy because of it.
Wolfe and McDonald make a career-defining masterpiece with their musical and theatrical strengths. Expertly directed by Andy Einhorn and edited with sparkling verve by Camille A. Brown, this three-hour production flies by and leaves you wanting more. How can I explain it more? I want this director to visit again Caroline, or Change (which he played 20 plus years ago) and brought his best lady. Undoubtedly this is amazing Gypsy it will be a good long time, but as carnival barkers and clowns have jumped from burlesque dives to the halls of power, we all need hope for the future.
Gypsy | 3 hours. One break. | Majestic Theater | 245 W 44th Street | 212-239-6200 | Buy Tickets Here
