Think of musical theatre and you’ll probably also think of Gypsy, Jule Styne, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim’s musical is one of the most beloved and revived productions of all time, and is synonymous with some of the biggest leading ladies of the stage. It comes now to The Mill at Sonning for their summer season, and under the direction of Joseph Pitcher finds itself being given a whole new lease of life.
Perhaps it’s the meta-theatricality of it all that has kept Gypsy going all of these years; the pushy stage mom in the form of Momma Rose desperately trying to scrape together enough money to get her daughters on to the Vaudeville circuit, in an ever changing act that never really changes at all.
The musical is based loosely on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, while Momma Rose pushes her first daughter Baby June (later Dainty June, when the idea of June being a child defies any form of credibility) to be the star of the show. Mild and meek Louise plays second fiddle, taking on the parts of newsboys or the back end of a cow.
Momma Rose is an iconic character in theatre, because the key to it is that despite being an overbearing and selfish woman, ultimately she needs to be loved, firstly by her children, then Herbie (Daniel Chowder) and finally the audience. Rebecca Thornhill achieves this with remarkable ease, bringing out Rose’s vulnerability in a way that’s very rarely seen in this musical. Thornhill is a commanding presence on the stage, delivering those unmistakable songs, particularly ‘Rose’s Turn’, with undeniable gusto.
Jason Denvir’s impressive set takes us from the slums of Seattle to the Vaudeville stages of New York, and the back rooms of Burlesque Houses. Coupled with Natalie Titchener’s costume designs this is a sumptuous Gypsy that revels in the shabby as much as the chic.
Evelyn Hoskins is perfect as the shy and docile Louise, which makes her 11th hour transformation into Gypsy Rose Lee all the more satisfying. Hoskins also makes that power shift between mother and daughter less harsh and more enjoyable as a result.
The main cast are joined by a hard working ensemble of actor musicians, producing trumpets, clarinets and flugelhorns at any given moment. Susannah Van Den Berg is especially enjoyable as Mazeppa, coming to the fore in the wonderfully staged ‘You Gotta Get A Gimmick’, while Joseph Vella gives a standout performance as Yonkers.
Gypsy also features a cast of children who do an extraordinary job of lighting up the stage. At this performance, the newsboys; George Clarke, Joshua Rowe and Samuel Logan ensured the show opened with a bang, while Mia Burton as Baby June encapsulated the very essence of the precocious child star. Aimee Brain as Young Louise imitated Evelyn Hoskins so precisely it took both of them being on stage at the same time to convince me it was two separate performers.
A trip to the Mill at Sonning is always a treat (the ticket price includes a delicious two course meal) but the quality of their productions continue to astound, rivalling anything you might see on the West End. And as for Gypsy, this dream of a production will entertain you, and then some.
