"Gypsy" matinee 4/5
"Gypsy" matinee 4/5
Broadway Star Joined: 2/27/06
"Gypsy" matinee 4/5#1
Posted: 4/6/08 at 8:41pm
Just saw "Gypsy" at yesterday's matinee and loved it. I'm already wondering when I can get back to it again!
Don't want to clutter up the board with yet another review, so I'll just put down a few random thoughts:
--Have I just been lucky or are audiences getting better behaved lately? I saw "Wicked" on Thursday and "Gypsy" yesterday and both times the audiences were quiet, no one's cell went off (within my hearing anyway) and I only had to shush someone once--two women who were settling in to chat during the "Gypsy" overture. I'm sorry, it's one of the best overtures in American musical theater, I'd rather hear it than your rude discussion!
--LuPone. Fantastic, wonderful, amazing. Her voice sounded great, I really liked what she did with the character, she meshed so well with Gaines and Benati and the other characters. I have read here and there that some feel that Benati's performance overshadows LuPone's somehow. I certainly didn't come away with that feeling. Every time LuPone was onstage (which was most of the time, now that I think of it) I couldn't take my eyes off her.
--Benati and Gaines. Both were great. I thought they were really touching in their scenes together--sort of "us against Rose." I had not seen Gaines on stage before and I was really impressed. I have seen Herbies that just kind of fade next to Rose, and he definitely didn't. Benati sounded wonderful and I especially liked her acting in "Little Lamb" and after her transformation to "Gypsy."
--The set: I have heard some say that it looks flimsy and cheap. I see what they mean, but to me it kind of fit in with the world Rose and her girls were living in. It didn't bother me.
I liked the use of the placards on either side of the stage. Was that new for this production? To me it was almost like a little ongoing commentary on Rose's view of where they were in the world.
--About the only thing I can think of to sort of criticize was that after "June" runs away with Tulsa (oh, wait, that's two things, I wasn't crazy about Tulsa--I liked his voice but physically he just didn't seem to "go" with his big dance routine, but maybe that's just me)--anyway, when June runs away, in the next scene you see the new act with Louise and the "Toreadorables," and one of the girls looked a LOT like June to me. I thought for a minute that it actually was the June actress; it was a little distracting. But that's a really minor point. Overall, it was definitely the best show I've seen in a long time and I feel really lucky to have been able to see LuPone's performance.
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#2
Posted: 4/6/08 at 8:43pmMost productions of Gypsy use placecards on the side. Laurents' staging is pretty much in line with his previous productions of the show.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#2
Posted: 4/6/08 at 8:49pmI saw GYPSY last Sunday afternoon and had to remind the two chatty ladies beside me that the performance had begun once the overture started. That shut them up like clams.
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#3
Posted: 4/6/08 at 9:07pmGood for you Dollypop! I was there yesterday too. A woman was singing near to me durring the overture, but I sort of glared at her and she stopped. And the performance was incredible. LuPone is remarkable. Benanti and Gaines are phenomenal. See it now! It's terrific!
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#4
Posted: 4/6/08 at 9:20pm
The placards they use are actually a part of the book and supposed to add to the vaudeville aspect of the show.
Glad you enjoyed yourself!
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#5
Posted: 4/7/08 at 10:30am
Question.... This has been asked before in previous threads but I couldn't find it.
What time does the Saturday matinée end? I'm trying to do some post-show planning.
Featured Actor Joined: 2/4/07
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#6
Posted: 4/7/08 at 11:29am
Oh hey, I was at that performance too! I managed to get those front row centre tickets and pretty much felt like i was looking up LuPone's dress the whole time. (it was just a bit wee too close but whatever, I'm not going to complain about the student deal).
so the show ended around 4:30pm (so 2.5 hours). though by the time I got out of the theatre, it was 4:45pm. seriously people, MOVE or don't stand in the middle of the aisles at least.
By the way, Laura Benanti was a revelation! First time seeing her live but always heard how good she was but she was simply fantastic.
Broadway Star Joined: 2/27/06
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#7
Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:15pm
Wow, I was looking at the people in the front row and thinking that my neck would get really sore looking up like that the whole time--glad it didn't bother you too much!
I thought it was closer to 4:50 by the time the orchestra played the last note.
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#8
Posted: 4/7/08 at 12:42pmWhen I saw it the evening performance ended around 10:50. But that was a week before it opened.
Featured Actor Joined: 2/4/07
re: 'Gypsy' matinee 4/5#9
Posted: 4/7/08 at 1:20pm
was it? hmm. my bad. though we waited outside at stage door and left at 5:15 so I thought I had stood there more than half hour waiting for Patti (who didn't come because shes sick apparently) (though got a few other cast members including an adorable Leigh Ann Larkin).
YEah. front row was HIGH but Im tall so i really only missed the rolling around in the back, but I can see if you're shorter, it would def. be a problem.
Anybody do the $27 student in the balc? How are they?
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