rose's turn question

[alxscrz2]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 5:28am

I was reading an article about rose's turn, in it it says that during rose's turn when rose stutters on the word momma, she's really realizing what she's saying and not really reaching out for her own mother. So does this mean that bette midler in the tv version got it wrong by reacing out while she was saying momma ? Also while angela lansbury was in gypsy did she reach out while she was stuttering on the word momma ??
-thanks

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 8:51am

Shouldn't the interpretation of it be left to each individual actress? Meaning none of them made "wrong" choices?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 9:54am

I always thought she should be reaching for a cigarette right then.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 9:56am

I used to need a cigarette after listening to it. Then I would sleep for hours.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 3:31pm

Why can't it mean more than one thing? Her loss/lack of having a mother, and her own children?

-Vincent

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 4:46pm

I always took it that she was realizng SHE herself is a mother, and was being accused of being a bad mother, because then she goes into her whole anger segment of it.

I guess it's left up to the actor and each individual audience member to decide how to take it.

Ah the beauty of opinion. :)

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 10:50pm

That part always comes off as so ridiculously campy to me. I like how Bernadette Peters sort of just stuttered it out rather than making it a big, silly spectacle.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/27/08 at 10:54pm

Becasue the stutter comes after "Momma's lettin' go," I always assumed it was her realzing...yes, I do have to let go...No I don't...(and finally), Yes, yes I do.

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 2:09am

This is definitely up to interpretation, like jordangirl posted. I also posted this question last year when I was involved in a community theater production of "Gypsy." I was the choreographer, and I always felt that during the "mommas" in "Rose's Turn," Rose was reaching out to her own mother. The actress playing Rose felt the same way, and performed that song similar to the way Bette Midler did it. When the director saw it, he had a fit because that was not his interpretation at all. As far as I was concerned, Betty Buckley, Bette Midler, Angela Lansbury, and Patti LuPone each did that song very differently. (didn't see Bernadette) But, none of their interpretations of that song changed my mind. I still feel that Rose is reaching out to her mother because she abandoned her, as Louise was doing at that point.