Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Audra McDonald triumphs in a color-conscious GYPSY that exposes new nuances in the classic musical

• By drediman
• January 9, 2025
• No Comments

Over at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway, you’ll find six-time Tony-winner Audra McDonald getting the daily opportunity to sink her teeth into one of theater’s most iconic roles — described by many as the “King Lear” of musical comedy — that of Mama Rose in the classic musical Gypsy, which features a rock solid book by Arthur Laurents and a score by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). Suffice to say, it’s the turn many fans have been waiting for, especially after what seemed like a suspenseful extended period of speculation. In short, the 1959 musical is based on the memoirs of legendary striptease performer Gypsy Rose Lee, particularly as it relates to her scrappy upbringing in show business under the scrutinizing, smothering tutelage of her mother Rose, who is widely considered the very epitome of the “stage mother”.

Simply put, McDonald is magnificent. The performance is a ravishing culmination of her long and varied stage career, and it smartly plays to her strengths as a pronouncedly theatrical actress of force and gravitas. It’s a deeply sympathetic portrayal of a relentlessly striving character; rarely do you question the genuine intent behind Rose’s often questionable choices and the immense devotion and love she bears for her daughters. Although the songs were written for pure belters like originator Ethel Merman and Patti LuPone, McDonald (who is a classically trained soprano) richly interprets them with expert technique and thrilling abandon, putting an emphatic stamp on such numbers as “Some People” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” that’s distinctly hers. Most importantly, the show in its entirety — not just Styne and Sondheim’s immortal score — has calibrated itself around its star, who as a Black Woman brings new dimension to Arthur Laurents’ familiar Depression-era book (e.g., just witness the differences in which Rose manages Black versus White theater bookers).

Indeed, George C. Wolfe’s carefully judged staging is more than just merely a vessel for an indelible star turn. His “color-conscious” production fascinatingly excavates the well-worn musical, astutely bringing out nuances I hadn’t seen before; these subtle revelations more than warrant Gypsy’s nearly excessive fifth revival. The supporting performances are all purposefully etched — particularly those of Danny Burstein as Herbie and Joy Woods as Louise (aka Gypsy Rose Lee) — all of whom contribute to a clear-eyed production that ultimately let’s the musical speak for itself. My one small gripe is that Gypsy Rose Lee’s Act Two striptease montage registers as an anti-climactic afterthought rather than a show-stopping sequence. Nevertheless, it all leads to an electrifying “Rose’s Turn”, in which McDonald pours all the pain and anger of a repressed life into one desperate howl for recognition. Now that’s a show-stopper.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

GYPSY
Broadway, Musical
Majestic Theatre
3 hours (with one intermission)
Open run