GYPSY - Tessie Tura's gimmick, anticlimactic?

[morosco]

Posted: 1/15/21 at 9:37pm

I have always thought that Tessie Tura's finesseful gimmick is a let down after following Mazeppa's horn and Electra's incandescence.

Only my personal opinion. The number always stops the show nonetheless.

Just for fun, what do you guys think would be a funny gimmick for Electra to do instead of the butterfly?  

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 1/15/21 at 10:03pm

It's more a conceptual joke rather than a physical joke, which separates it from the others. But as the "tasteful" striptease was part of burlesque, and maybe the most ludicrous aspect of it, I think those who have at least a vague general knowledge of the genre (which when the show opened, probably meant everyone) would find it really funny.

[temms]

Posted: 1/16/21 at 1:58am

Tessie's example is the one that gets through to Louise. She's "classy", unlike the trumpet and the blinking lights. And you get the right actress who can convincingly do both the fluttering and the bumping and it's hysterical. And for me, the funniest moment is when they're all three doing it together and you have trumpets, flashing lights, and bumping butterflies simultaneously. Easily tops any one of the three.

And dramatically it needs to plant the seed that Louise can do it too otherwise it's just a throwaway number. Plus I think Tessie's bond with Louise is one of the sweetest in the show so makes sense to give her the last slot in the song.

[joevitus]

Posted: 1/16/21 at 3:15am

temms said: "Tessie's example is the one that gets through to Louise. She's "classy", unlike the trumpet and the blinking lights. And you get the right actress who can convincingly do both the fluttering and the bumping and it's hysterical. And for me, the funniest moment is when they're all three doing it together and you have trumpets, flashing lights, and bumping butterflies simultaneously. Easily tops any one of the three.

And dramatically it needs to plant the seed that Louise can do it too otherwise it's just a throwaway number. Plus I think Tessie's bond with Louise is one of the sweetest in the show so makes sense to give her the last slot in the song."

That last point is wonderful and true.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/16/21 at 3:37am

temms said: "Tessie's example is the one that gets through to Louise. She's "classy", unlike the trumpet and the blinking lights. And you get the right actress who can convincingly do both the fluttering and the bumping and it's hysterical. And for me, the funniest moment is when they're all three doing it together and you have trumpets, flashing lights, and bumping butterflies simultaneously. Easily tops any one of the three.

And dramatically it needs to plant the seed that Louise can do it too otherwise it's just a throwaway number. Plus I think Tessie's bond with Louise is one of the sweetest in the show so makes sense to give her the last slot in the song."

Oh wow. Thanks temms! I never thought of it that way. Good thinking!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/16/21 at 10:09am

Plus, the choreography showcases the nonsense of the burlesque “gimmick”: the elegant swooping ballet movements ending with the bump to flutter her butterfly g-string.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 1/17/21 at 7:47am

One of my favorite moments in the film is when Betty Bruce (Tessie) checks out her bump in the dressing room mirror.  It's hard to tell if the reaction comes from Louise or Natalie Wood,

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 1/18/21 at 7:35am

I love this thread.  I’ve wondered about this since forever.  Thanks for the question and all the thoughtful replies.  

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 1/25/21 at 1:12pm

justoldbill said: "One of my favorite moments in the film is when Betty Bruce (Tessie) checks out her bump in the dressing room mirror. It's hard to tell if the reaction comes from Louise or Natalie Wood,"

The movie version perfectly captures that number. Even Sondheim, who, among many others, wasn't a fan of the film said that number was a highlight, especially that close up of Natalie Wood during the number where you see her change into Gypsy right there. She just didn't know it yet.