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April 19, 2002
Anderson shines as Rose
New West production of Gypsy is well worth seeing.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Ethel Merman, Rosalind Russell, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and
Bette Midler have all played the role of Mama Rose in Gypsy.
It may seem like an indomitable task to measure up to their performances,
but local actress Susan Anderson rises to the challenge in the Royal
City Musical Theatre production of the popular musical.
Based on the real-life experience of Rose Louise Hovick, Gypsy,
by Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, premièred
in 1959. Set in the 1920s and ’30s, it tells the story of how
Louise and her sister, June, were pushed into being vaudeville performers
by their overbearing mother, Rose. Eventually, June broke away from
her mother’s suffocating grasp and took charge of her own career,
running away and getting married at age 13. She later became famous
as actress June Havoc.
After June left the act, Rose turned her attention to Louise. One
way or another, Rose was going to make one of her daughters a star.
Things didn’t go well. Vaudeville was declining in popularity
and Louise couldn’t be as cute and perky as her sister, especially
as she was no longer the young girl around whom the act was centred.
Mama Rose finally got the act a booking at what she thought was
a second-rate vaudeville house. It turned out to be a burlesque
theatre but, out of sheer financial need, the show went on. After
working in several venues of this type, Louise got her chance to
play a leading role. Using the name Gypsy Rose Lee, her provocative
routine impressed audiences and, though she never really did strip,
she became a legend.
The first act of Gypsy focuses on Baby June. It opens with
children auditioning for Uncle Jocko’s Kiddie Show. Front and
centre is Baby June, played charmingly and energetically by Nirit
Rozenberg, who does more than one precarious-looking cartwheel near
the front of the stage; Baby Louise (Alyssa Brizzi) is literally
in June’s shadow. No sooner do they start their routine –
“May We Entertain You” – than does Mama Rose’s
voice rise above them, telling them to sing out. And so begins the
saga of the domineering stage mother.
The role of Mama Rose could have been written for Anderson; she
plays the part perfectly. An experienced musical theatre performer,
Anderson has a powerful presence and a great voice. Her rendition
of the familiar song “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,”
which ends the first act, is one of the local production’s
highlights.
Cailin Stadnyk, who plays Louise, also puts on an impressive performance.
In the course of the play, she transforms the meek, “untalented”
Louise, who plays the front part of a cow in her sister’s act,
into the seductive Gypsy Rose Lee.
With two such good actresses in key roles, Gypsy is well
worth seeing. The supporting cast is strong, the music is hummable
and the story is interesting. Unfortunately, given the subject matter,
the musical is slightly risqué and might not be appropriate
for families with young children. One of the most entertaining songs
– “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” – features three
strippers sharing the secret of their success with Gypsy Rose: Gladiator
has her trumpet, Tessie Tura has her ballet training and Electra
has stars that light up on three carefully chosen parts of her body.
Other members of the Jewish community joining Anderson and Rozenberg
in the Royal City Musical Theatre production of Gypsy are
Ryan Keogh (newsboy), Tara Keogh (Geraldine/ showgirl), Solly Markovitch
(newsboy), Lev Jackson (Clarence/newsboy) and Mark Rozenberg as
Mr. Goldstone.
Gypsy is on at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster until
April 27, at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. Tickets
can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 604-280-4444 or
online at www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information, call 604-522-4306.
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