Upcoming Japanese production of GYPSY renamed as ROSE due to sensitivity regarding the original title

[Fan123]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 4:34am

Interesting. I wonder if this change might be testing the waters for selected productions elsewhere, perhaps in other countries in which the show may not have a strong established reputation under the original title. Christopher Luscombe from the UK is directing this production.

https://rose2026.jp/

While sometimes productions in other countries will change a show's title simply to make the show more comprehensible/marketable to a local audience, the original title has been used in Japan as recently as 2023. The website also notes at the bottom (courtesy of Google Translate): "The original title of this film [sic], "GYPSY," is a discriminatory term given to the Roma and Sinti people. During World War II, the Roma and Sinti, like the Jews, were victims of the Nazi Holocaust. They are still recognized as the largest minority group in Europe, and the EU, the United Nations, and Western human rights NGOs are working to address the issue of exclusion and discrimination against Roma. Although the original title is credited, the Japanese title has been changed to "Rose" out of consideration for this term."

[binau]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 5:11am

At this point I’m turning into a cranky old grandpa but I don’t care. The show is Gypsy and called Gypsy for a reason, if they don’t want to do Gypsy they should not do it. What are they going to do with the dialogue?

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 05:11 AM

[John Adams]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 6:49am

binau said: "At this point I’m turning into a cranky old grandpa but I don’t care. "

me, too. (I deliberately chose not to write that as a hashtag...)

There were at least (3) threads on this topic back in 2018 when AEA changed the name of the "Gypsy Robe" to the "Legacy Robe". I could only find two, but for anyone who wants to re-live the past (and save some time re-hashing), here 'ya go:

Name Change for Gypsy Robe Ceremony (includes semi-prophetic post by gypsy101, post #56) 

Thank God the Gypsy Robe is now the legacy Robe 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 10:05am

Changes in foreign titles has always been common practice for decades. 

Here are the titles used for Spanish productions: 

WEST SIDE STORY became AMOR SIN BARRERAS (Love without Barriers)

THE SOUND OF MUSIC became LA NOVICIA REBELDE (The Rebel Novice/Nun)

BYE BYE BIRDIE became UN BESO PARA BIRDIE (A Kiss for Birdie)

THE MUSIC MAN became VENDEDOR DE ILUSIONES (Seller of Illusions) 

FLOWER DRUM SONG became PROMETIDAS SIN NOVIO (Engaged without a Boyfriend) 

[binau]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 10:29am

Ok but all those examples I believe are likely for translation purposes. How often have foreign titles been changed to meet the political sensitivities of not even the host country where the production is mounted but the culture of origin of the material? I don’t believe for one second that Japanese people know or care about these issues. It’s a British director.

Have the estates of the authors agreed to this? 

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 10:29 AM

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 10:55am

Yeah, the Japanese historically have very little concern for the cultural mores or political correctness of the West, only their own. This is definitely a Western move using them as a staging ground.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:04am

I don't think it has to so with the sensitive name, Japan often still does black face. Go check out the black face they used in Memphis...

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 11:04 AM

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:10am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Changes in foreign titles has always been common practice for decades.

Here are the titles used for Spanish productions:

WEST SIDE STORY became AMOR SIN BARRERAS (Love without Barriers)

THE SOUND OF MUSIC became LA NOVICIAREBELDE (The Rebel Novice/Nun)

BYE BYE BIRDIE became UN BESO PARA BIRDIE (A Kiss for Birdie)

THE MUSIC MAN became VENDEDOR DE ILUSIONES (Seller of Illusions)

FLOWER DRUM SONG became PROMETIDAS SIN NOVIO (Engaged without a Boyfriend)"

 

I'm adding a few here:

MRS DOUBTFIRE became PAPÁ POR SIEMPRE (Forever Dad)

THE ADAMS FAMILY became LOS LOCOS ADAMS (The crazy Adams) 

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:11am

binau said: "At this point I’m turning into a cranky old grandpa but I don’t care. The show is Gypsy and called Gypsy for a reason, if they don’t want to do Gypsy they should not do it. What are they goingto do with the dialogue?"

It sounds like you do care, but you care in the opposite direction of the director (or whoever made this decision). Me, I really don't care. 

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 11:11 AM

[John Adams]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:11am

binau said: "Have the estates of the authors agreed to this?"

I'm curious about this, too.

The note that Fan123 quotes in their op changes any intention of "for translation purposes only" implied in BrodyFosse123's post to one of an intentional purpose re: "political correctness". Very different.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:13am

binau said: "Have the estates of the authors agreed to this?"

Not only that, but my understanding is that Gypsy Rose Lee's main condition, when allowing her memoir to be musicalized, was that the title be retained even though she wouldn't be the main character. I wonder if her estate still has a say in that.

[binau]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:15am

The translation of the text in the original post clearly shows that the reason is because of western cultural sensitivity, even highlighting a number of western institutions as a citation. Which to your point doesn’t make sense in this Japanese context until you see it’s a British director. So how it makes sense. 

As an aside I do find this to be interesting for another reason which is that people sometimes discuss whether the show SHOULD be called Rose because Rose is actually the main character. 

I think it needs to be called GYPSY because part of the subtext is that Rose was born too late and started too late. “That’s why” she doesn’t have her name up in lights, like Gypsy. 

Calling the show Gypsy is part of the whole point of the show. 

[binau]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:20am

kdogg36 said: "binau said: "At this point I’m turning into a cranky old grandpa but I don’t care. The show is Gypsy and called Gypsy for a reason, if they don’t want to do Gypsy they should not do it. What are they goingto do with the dialogue?"

It sounds like you do care, but you care in the opposite directionof the director (or whoever made this decision). Me, I really don't care."

I mean I don’t care if I’m perceived as a cranky old grandpa, I do care about this exactly. I’m tired with people messing with things that aren’t broken. I’m tired of people trying to do things that they think are good or make them look good but don’t have any impact or create more problems than they are worth. 

Didn’t someone trying to censor ‘Assassins?’ If I recall Sondheim pulled the rights and the whole thing was shut down. 

If you want the privilege of doing a Sondheim show or Sondheim-adjacent show then you should accept the writing as is. 

[Kad]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:39am

There has been no push to rename the show in the West- it never even came up when the show was revived just last season. This is a production in Japan for Japanese audiences who don't have the same cultural attachment to the show or its title. There's so much more in the world to be outraged over. 

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 11:39 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:56am

To me it’s about intent. The show is called Gypsy because her name was Gypsy Rose Lee, not because anyone is intentionally trying to offend the Roma and Sinti people. It’s a period piece and at this time in history it was culturally acceptable to use that word. Changing it censors history. Absolutely include a note in the program about the usage of the word as they have done on their website, but I see no reason to change the title.

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 12:04pm

It’s a double meaning also: her name was Gypsy Rose, but it’s also the story of a group of old-school “theatrical gypsies,” nomadic hustling dancers with nowhere to hang their hat but backstage. We don’t call them that anymore, but it’s theatrically relevant to the time.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 12:35pm

I'm just genuinely curious if current-day Roma and Sinti people are offended by the use of the word "gypsy" in a context when it's clearly not intended to refer to them.  Maybe some of them are (I really don't know), but whenever this has come up in the theater world, it usually feels more like privileged white people being offended on their behalf.  But as someone pointed out, this never even came up as a possibility with the recent revival, so I'm not too worried about it.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 12:38pm

This production apparently already played Japan a couple years ago (and was the debut of the musical in there) with the original title. I have to wonder if the title has been changed because "gypsy" is a word audiences there are simply not familiar with at all and the production switched it to something more recognizable while using the term's history as an excuse. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 3:36pm

I had the chance to see The A d d a m s Family (La Familia A d d a m s) on Broadway.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 3:43pm

Arthur is not only spinning in his grave -- he's gonna figure out a way to come back from the dead to shut this one down!

 

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 4:32pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Changes in foreign titles has always been common practice for decades.

Here are the titles used for Spanish productions:

WEST SIDE STORY became AMOR SIN BARRERAS (Love without Barriers)

THE SOUND OF MUSIC became LA NOVICIAREBELDE (The Rebel Novice/Nun)

BYE BYE BIRDIE became UN BESO PARA BIRDIE (A Kiss for Birdie)

THE MUSIC MAN became VENDEDOR DE ILUSIONES (Seller of Illusions)

FLOWER DRUM SONG became PROMETIDAS SIN NOVIO (Engaged without a Boyfriend)"

Those are incredible! They make some of them sound spicier than are they are.

[Merkin2]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 4:42pm

The Rebel Nun and Seller of Illusions are amazing. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 5:07pm

Kad said: "There's so much more in the world to be outraged over."

This is, of course, true, but that argument works both ways. Sure, it's probably silly to change the title, but it's also silly to really care that they did (as long as the rights-holders signed off on it). [ETA: I'm not accusing you of that, of course!]

Updated On: 1/27/26 at 05:07 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 5:32pm

Has anyone REALLY given a second thought to how the Roma people feel about it?

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 1/27/26 at 6:51pm

I've always held the opinion that the shows title shouldn't change, especially because that was her actual stage name. But I do want to say, I don't think Gypsy the musical and the Legacy Robe have anything to do with each other. Even though they use(d) the term in the same way (wanderer, tourfolk, etc), changing one (the show) feels irresponsible while changing the other (the robe) has always felt in good-faith to me.