Lupone's Gypsy or Bernadette's- Page 2

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:29am

Perhaps on Broadway Patti will concentrate less on herself and more on Rose... but either way it'll still be amazing!

[sanda]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:42am

I saw both. I love Bernadette's 100 times more than Lupone's. I can never understand Lupone's appealing.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:54am

I'm heavily biased because I'm not a LuPone fan and I adore Bernadette, so of course I say Bernadette. I was blessed to have seen her as Rose three times.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:38am

"Perhaps on Broadway Patti will concentrate less on herself and more on Rose... but either way it'll still be amazing!"

Like that will ever happen, LuPone concentrating less on herself, Honey the only thing LuPone cares about is herself!

It's all about me...

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 2:44am

And what about the original Rose? Merman. You really think Merman was a gracious caring woman? No. She was a real bitch. She demanded respect. Merman makes LuPone look like an angel. I don't think Merman would stand outside of the stage doors in today's world and sign and take pictures with fans.
Updated On: 1/5/08 at 02:44 AM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 11:05am

Bern's hair, Patti's nose, and vocals by the Merm.

sounds like a wet dream to me.


in all seriousness, I saw both Bernadette and Patti play Rose and...I liked Bernadette quite a lot, but Patti was absolutely amazing. Patti has the acting skills and the pipes for the part, and while I felt like she and Bernadette made similar acting choices, I thought Patti took them further.


and re: the Merm...she wouldn't talk to her fans at the stage door today, she'd probably eat them for snack.

[Debbie1313]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 11:18am

Bernadette's Mamma was fantastic

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 11:59am

Bernadette was at a certain disadvantage. She didn't have the benefit of first developing her performance with an out-of-town tryout, like Merman, or first in London and on national tour like Lansbury, or on the road for a year like Daly, or at Ravinia and City Center first like Lupone. She had to figure out how to sing it, act it, scream it eight times a week, in front of the nastiest audiences in the world: Broadway preview audiences. And the New York theatre industry showed its true colors by eating her alive, reveling in taking down one of the few genuine marquee names Broadway has left. Her illness just prior to opening, and immediately after, was another element that clouded the image of what she achieved. But once the dust settled and the bloodlust subsided, she ended up giving thoughtful, interesting, well-sung performances as Rose. While Bernadette is not a natural steamroller or loud mouthed monster type, she's too smart and savvy a performer to not figure out a way to make a role work for her. She landed the jokes, delivered on the songs and showed many different colors of the character.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:12pm

SMAXIE what a wonderful thoughtful comment on Bernadette's performance.

I am a great fan of Bernadette and saw the second preview and then again a month before it closed and she had very much developed her portrayal and had myself and many others in the audience sobbing as she sang ROSE'S TURN. She is a very emotional lady and a "powerhouse" of a different type from Patti. Bernadette also nailed the comedy and sexiness of Rose and though I do believe she was let down by the stylised production and Mendes direction she never disappointed in the role.

I haven't seen Lupone in Gypsy yet (but will do in March) so cannot comment on her portrayal.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:16pm

Bernadette and the 2003 revival in general was far superior (IMO) to the Patti production. It was a more developed and well rounded production. I just thought Patti was like "I'm Patti LuPone, listen to my amazing voice and how crazy I can be" the whole time.....

[robinycus]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:21pm

Agreed. I found it to be a little obnoxious. If you want to see a great performance of Rose, go to that site and look at live news reel clips of Lansbury performing Some People, Together and Rose's Turn from Gypsy.

I didn't think Peters was perfectly suited for the part, but was never the less entertained and somewhat intrigued by her interpretation.
Updated On: 1/5/08 at 12:21 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 12:35pm

I was too young at the time to see her, but Lansbury can do anything. She can play a monster and still make you love her and care about her, plus she had enough vocal chops to do justice to the score. Everything I've seen of her performance, including the footage alluded to above and some other footage that exists of her performance, suggests that she was just ideal. Plus, she got the best logo!

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 3:27pm

I'm just curious as to when the tickets for LuPone's 'Gypsy' will go on sale, so I can officially say i'm going and then, once I see her in the flesh, officially compare performances!

...until then.

So... when DO tickets go on sale?!

[fflagg]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 3:51pm

Who cares?

It's Ethel and Angela.

Patti and Bernadette are B-level divas and always will be.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 5:21pm

I saw Lansbury do it and it was one of the single greatest performances I have ever seen. Funny, sexy, and scary. And she SANG THE SCORE. Something neither Daly or Peters (as wonderful as they may have been in other ways) could do.

[sally1112]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 5:52pm

Give me a B-level diva any old day then!

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 6:16pm

I saw LuPone perform Gypsy for 2 nights at Ravinia. It was stunning and breathtaking. She owned the stage and the role.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 6:27pm

Angela definitely sounded GREAT singing the score, but they lowered keys quite a bit to suit her voice. But I think Patti comes closest to singing the score in the style of Merman. Peters would have benefited from lower keys like Angela.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 6:31pm

Even Merman had the keys lowered when she was in the show.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 7:35pm

Yeah, she had "Everything's Coming Up Roses" lowered one whole step - so she didn't have to belt her famous high C. LuPone belts the high C at the end of her "Some People" Reprise (at City Center, and I assume she will on Broadway too).

Angela was several steps lower, but she still sounded sensational.

Updated On: 1/5/08 at 07:35 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 7:41pm

I can't really pick one or any of them.

I mean, Merman was the original. She was ROSE. It was designed for her. She sings it fantastically, and she owned the stage. From all accounts, she even acted the part pretty well. She's definitive. Tyne Daly really seemed to get the part at it's core. She best got Rose's desperation. Bernadette was a little more sexy and conniving. She was like a spider, not a tiger.

For me (FOR ME!! FOR MEEEE!), I think Angela and Patti come closest to a full package. Both them sing the score with the power and presence of Merman, but they also bring the acting that is equal to Daly and Peters.

But, we can never forget Betty Buckley actually "batting a thousand."

Posted: 1/5/08 at 8:13pm

i feel Bernie is too sympathetic to be a powerful ROSE...you have to make her a monster & THEN make the audience empathize, whereas everyone falls in love with Bernie the moment they see her.

on the other hand, i dont think The Patti would do so well with THE WITCH in INTO THE WOODS.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 8:24pm

I was just thinking as Patti as the Witch! How weird would that be? I just cannot see it.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 8:38pm

They'll probably record it. Laura Benanti wouldn't have signed on if it weren't being recorded -- notice how most of her projects are commercial AND recorded. Plus, considering how much thought was put behind this sole production (from Ravinia, to City Centers, to possible talks of London, to finally announcing Broadway!), you can bet they will preserve this...

When I saw Bernadette, I thought she was AMAZING! I was 13 years old and she was the first Rose I saw, besides Rosalind Russell. Now I'm 21 and I've seen Patti LuPone and a few others. Bernadette made choices and I appreciate that. They just weren't active ones.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/5/08 at 8:51pm

Wow. The absurdities in this thread continue to pile up.