Cast
Momma Rose – Imelda Staunton
Louise – Gemma Sutton
Herbie – Peter Davison
Tulsa – Dan Burton
June – Lauren Hall
Show Date – Tuesday 13th October 2015
Having traveled to London back in April to see Gypsy, a show that I have always dreamed about seeing. When the opportunity came up to go and see it again on another trip I could not resist at all. It is an incredible show from start to finish and I think I was even more excited to see the show this second time. That might have something to do with having front row center seats? You know with the stage that comes out and they dance round at times, that could possibly be it! Read my first review here!
I have raved about the show since seeing it for the first time and about Imelda Staunton and how amazing she is as Rose. Having also listened to the soundtrack over and over again, I have to admit that I did not do her justice. But I think seeing is believing and she blows the roof off the theater so many times it’s actually frightening. That is even more she gets to Rose’s Turn, which is without a doubt one of the most difficult pieces to nail in musical theater in my opinion. The thing is though we don’t have to wait for that moment to be amazed, Staunton does it with so many of the songs you are impressed over and over again! Honestly it really is something special seeing her as Momma Rose, I am truly honoured to have been twice. It is such a good job I don’t live in London though as I would have been so many times I would have lost count by now.
Gotta Get a Gimmick – Seriously this is one of the funniest songs you will find in musical theater. With the old strippers teaching Louise that you must have something different and special to be a stripper in burlesque. That was even better than I remember, having the audience falling about laughing. But also fair play to the actresses taking on those roles as it cannot be easy standing on stage in hardly any clothes.
From the first time I went to see the show they had cast changes in Louise and June, this was from Monday so it was the second night for Gemma Sutton taking over from Lara Pulver. I thought she did very well in her second show, but I did prefer Pulver in the role as I thought her stage presence and voice was more powerful. At times in this show the music was a little bit loud over Sutton and also Peter Davison. Maybe that is just because Staunton projects so well around the stage/theatre?
This second viewing has confirmed that this is my all time favorite show. Honestly it has a little bit of everything and at least three show stopping songs from start to finish. Some shows now are lucky to have one show stopping song, let alone having several. That does all stem to the performances though, did I mention about amazing Imelda Staunton is? Stage door post!
I cannot recommend this enough if you are in and around London to head to see this truly remarkable entertaining show, it is running until Saturday 28th November 2015. I did try to see if any tickets remained for closing night, but it has already sold out!
In the past few weeks the show has been recorded three times as part of a plan to broadcast it on BBC4 over the Christmas period so at least one thing that will be on UK TV over the festive period is going to be well worth watching!