The Guardian (UK): Patti LuPone Topples Merman

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:42am

Nice column in the Guardian. Note the error about the Tony though.

===

Patti Lupone topples Ethel Merman's Gypsy

Benjamin Ivry

June 10, 2008 9:00 AM

Memories of some Broadway performances die hard, and one of the most epoch-making performances was Ethel Merman's as Mama Rose in Jule Styne's 1959 musical Gypsy.

Merman was legendary for her brassy pipes, endless breath control, and crisp diction. Among her die-hard fans was the late Ralph Richardson, who reputed attended all of Merman's London performances, marvelling at her sheer lung power and ability to transfix a theater without amplification.

Yet as reverent recent biographies from Viking and the University of California Press explain, Merman was an uncomprehending actress, enunciating her lines as a form of musical recitative. Gypsy's lyricist, Stephen Sondheim notoriously called Merman "the singing dog", yet her musical performance was rewarded with a Tony Award and the cast recording is a permanent classic.

Later revivals of Gypsy starred Angela Lansbury, a fine actress without the requisite bellowing voice; Tyne Daly, a TV actress with little voice; and a miscast Bernadette Peters. None have reproduced the electric shock of Merman's vitality, until now. A new production of Gypsy opened on Broadway in late March, starring Patti Lupone, who is tipped to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical on June 15.

Lupone, now 59, has had an uneven career. I vividly recall admiring her 1973 Broadway debut as Irina in Chekhov's Three Sisters in which she co-starred with her then-boyfriend Kevin Kline, who played Vershinin. The diminutive Lupone's urge to travel to Moscow was conveyed with powerful force. Few roles since have offered a combination of acting and musical challenges which really fit her talent. One such was Lloyd Webber's 1979 Broadway Evita, for which she won a Tony, and as Callas in Terrence McNally's 1995 Master Class where she replaced Zoë Caldwell.

Although Lupone won a 1985 Olivier award as Fantine in Les Miserables with the RSC at the Barbican, hi-tech musical machines confine her exploding talent. Now, as the nightmare stage mother in Gypsy, Lupone finally has a role matching the full scope of her talents. She acts with Brechtian intensity, like a Mother Courage surviving the odds. There are tragic turns to this Gypsy, such as Lupone's donning a paint-stained skirt at the end of the play after she is abandoned, like Jackie Kennedy refusing to remove her blood-stained dress after JFK's assassination.

The dramatic power here is due to the brilliant Arthur Laurents, who wrote the original book and at 90 has directed this show. Author of a memoir in which he gleefully buries many former colleagues, Laurents directs with strident energy and bite, and has cast this Gypsy ideally.

Rose's flunky boyfriend Herbie, usually a throwaway role, is played by Boyd Gaines with the sour-stomached ruefulness of a Jason Robards. No doubt about it, this stunningly acted production finally lays to rest the ghost of Merman.
Patti Lupone topples Ethel Merman's Gypsy

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:44am

I disagree.

And the writer makes other mistakes, Merman did not win the TONY for that role and Patti wears a paint stained smock, not skirt.
He needs to do his job better before making such a statement.

The rebuke is interesting.

"The ghost of Mermen in unperturbed. Ms. Lupone chews scenery well, but acting is not even a possibility and her loud self serving performance becomes more intolerable with each passing day.
She does not act with her fellows onstage, she acts past them, around them, through them, she sings loudly and only Ms. Lupone can turn any vowel into six syllables and make a new sound from her palette of vocal affectations."

"This is a dispiriting and disheartening production to all but the Lupone lovers. The fact that despite the nearly unanamous huzzahs it received in the press it continues to play at about 60% capacity is surely a sign that the public is not fooled."

"THIS SHOW SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED ROSE, I'M PATTI, IGNORE LAURA BENANTI AND BOYD GAINES, IT'S ABOUT ME-ME-ME."
(his caps, not mine)

ouch.


Updated On: 6/10/08 at 11:44 AM

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:47am

OK, my eyes initially read this as "Patti LuPone Topless Merman" -- but I guess it's not from the New York Post!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:25pm

Also look at the picture of the writer, if he actually saw Merman in GYPSY he looks awfully good for 60!

Calvin, the thought of a Topless Merman made me loose sight for a moment.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:30pm

Wow. Regardless of the article, that comment left by a blogger is moronic.

I don't care whether he/she like LuPone or not, but Benanti and Gaines are most definitely at the front lines alongside her. There's no other way about it. Ms. LuPone certainly does embrace them and act WITH them. That would be obvious to anyone who's seen this production.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:39pm

The fact that despite the nearly unanamous huzzahs it received in the press it continues to play at about 60% capacity is surely a sign that the public is not fooled.

Or the fact that the public is still tired of Gypsy revivals.

Interesting that Ivry never mentions LuPone's Tony-nominated performance in Anything Goes.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:45pm

OR her Tony Nominated performance in Sweeney Todd.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:45pm

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 12:45 PM

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:46pm

I like how everyone has their spin on the "Gypsy Tony Legend." A poster on the Guardian site helpfully points out Merman and Peters DID NOT win Tonys for the show, but "nearly everyone else who played the part did." Well no- there have been 4 Madame Roses and it's fifty/fifty right now- Merman & Peters didn't but Lansbury & Daly did.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:50pm

Nice to see that the Lupone haters are able to voice their usual complaints and try to justify them. So it is a smock not a skirt -- GASP -- take away his writing license! And despite one comment above, he never says HE saw Merman do Gypsy (see how easy it is to make mistakes?). He says memories die hard -- not necessarily HIS memory, but memories in general. Weren't we able to figure out the entire point of his article -- or are we too busy picking at insignificant details to pay attention to things like the overall purpose of the article?

And as to the comparison of Merman's and Lupone's Madame Roses -- there were plenty of good critics back in Merman's day who pointed out that the acting was not what it could or should have been -- even in those days! What reputable critic has said that about Lupone's performance?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:21pm

I ain't a Hater.
Just an observer.

Original reviews for Merman in GYPSY:
Richard Watts in the Post:
"her incomperable ability to belt out a song has long been one of the joys of the theatre, but she is likewise a brilliant actress, which GYPSY proves,
Brooks Atkinson:
"Since she acts the part of an indomitable personality, she gives an indomitable performance, both as actress and singer"
Keneth Tynan:
Miss Merman not only sings, she acts!"

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:44pm

The rebuke is an extremely accurate observation. Just look at the way it's being marketed to know that it's "her" show. It would be interesting if both Boyd and Laura won the Tony, but she didn't. I wouldn't want to be backstage for that one...

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:46pm

I also saw "Topless Merman". But this is interesting too, I guess.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:54pm

Also, why aren't the three of them performing Together at the Tony's? Instead she's taking the stage by herself. I don't understand that.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 2:22pm

-- "The rebuke is an extremely accurate observation. Just look at the way it's being marketed to know that it's "her" show."

That's bulls***. What production of "Gypsy" ISN'T marketed around the actress playing Rose? The same was done for Lansbury, Daly, and Peters. Just look at the show art from those productions.


-- "Also, why aren't the three of them performing Together at the Tony's? Instead she's taking the stage by herself. I don't understand that."

Really? You don't understand that? Take a look at the Tony Broadcasts for the years that past "Gypsy" revivals were up for awards. Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters both performed "Roses Turn" at the Tony Awards. The focus on Rose isn't new.

Furthermore, if you'd stop and take an unbiased look, you would notice that Benanti and Gaines are receiving more attention, press, and praise than any other Louise and Herbie of past revivals. They aren't caught in any shadow and good for them!

What the hell is your personal vendetta about?

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 2:40pm

well first off. I love the fact that we can have a calm, rational discussion without needing to attack others with swearing.

and second, no personal vendetta. I loved her in Sweeney. I just think everything is too over the top in Gypsy. Regarding the ad's, it's not just a pic of Patti saying Gypsy, it has her name basically attached to the title. Which is why the show will close once she leaves, because it's her Gypsy.

And the last comment about the Tony's. Wouldn't it be more appropriate if all three nominated actors from the show got to perform and show off their talents? If only Patti was nominated, I understand, but why leave off the other two extremely well-deserved Tony nominated actors?

[Patash]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 4:19pm

CurtainPullDowner, good for you for quoting three positives about Merman's acting in Gypsy, of course there were some -- but that wasn't all.
Meanwhile "Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book for Gypsy, found her dumb: 'She doesn’t calculate. She doesn’t weigh things. She just blunders ahead.' "
And it's a well known fact that although the show was written for Merman, huge hunks of dialogue kept getting cut because they just weren't working, and more songs were added instead. The end result may have been wonderful, but fortunately for Ms. Merman, we never had an opportunity to compare acting with acting with later Mama Roses.

Posted: 6/10/08 at 4:28pm

Let's see...Lupone

Posted: 6/10/08 at 4:30pm

Peters

[Weez]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 4:46pm

Topless merman?

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 4:52pm

Fair enough, I take back that one comment.

The other is still valid.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 5:20pm

Hahahahaha!

Weez - thank you for making my day.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 5:22pm

I have read every book about Merman, Laurents, Sondheim, Robbins and the creating and making of GYPSY and the way it was tapered to Merman's talent and her way of working.
She worked very different than the creators and she was nervous about working with them and wanted to prove herself as an actress and not just a singer.
Getting her to peel back the layers was just not her style and though many of the creative team had things to say about her process, in the end they were all amazed that she was as good as she was in the end product.
Laurents was quick to judge people if they didn't agree with him, he still is, but calling someone dumb because they have a different way of getting to the character is unfair, just as one of the posters in this thread calling someone "moronic" because they disagree with their opinion.
Acting and interpretation of a role is seen differently by each audience member and will always be a matter of discussion.
How can the author of the original story say LuPone's performace is Toppling Merman if he never saw the original, it just doesn't make sense to me. There are other ways of stating his point.
Of course I am only going by the picture that goes with the article, maybe that pic was taken 20 years ago, who knows?

I have been a fan of Patti's before a lot of posters on this board were born, I just feel, as others do too, that this performance is not the coming of the Lord or as legendary as so many make it out to be.

I'm glad someone found a topless Merman and keeps some humor in this post.
Updated On: 6/10/08 at 05:22 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 5:27pm

Regarding the ad's

And the last comment about the Tony's.

But what did you think about Cat's? Perhap's it would have been better with Bernadette Peter's. I agree that all the nominated actor's from all the nominated show's should be in all the performance's. I hope the show doesn't close when Patti leave's. The poster should have the name's of all the actor's up above the title just as big as Patti with a photo of all the actor's a's well. Why doe's Gypsy alway's have a photo of Rose when the title of the show is Gypsy, anyway?

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 05:27 PM

Posted: 6/10/08 at 5:45pm

Because to get the rights, they had to keep the name "Gypsy" as the title.