‘Gypsy’: mom wanted to be an artist

However, the protagonist of this memoir – and of the musical – is not Gypsy Rose Lee, but her mother, Rose Thompson Hovick. Laurents and Sondheim take advantage of their story to pay a nostalgic and compassionate tribute to the theater – and above all, to the artists – of the time and tell the story of a woman who projects onto her daughters the artistic dreams that she could not achieve. Rose – the prototype of ‘the artist’s mother’ – is an unstoppable woman, who does not know the word ‘impossible’, and who raises her family with admirable tenacity; but she is also a woman who lives outside of reality and who sacrifices those around her for her deceptive dreams of greatness.

And just as it is absurd to launch ‘Hamlet’ if you don’t have a guaranteed Hamlet, and the same goes for ‘Life is a Dream’ and Segismundo, ‘Gypsy’ needs a top-quality Rose. The assembly of Antonio Banderas has it: Martha Ribera. The artist from Girona has been one of the great figures of Spanish musical theater for three decades; He has demonstrated it in countless works, from ‘Grease’ or ‘Jekyll and Haydé’, to ‘Chicago’, ‘Cabaret’ or ‘Company‘. In this show she was discovered by Antonio Banderas, who has had no qualms about calling her ‘the Spanish Liza Minnelli’. But prejudices towards actors who have developed their careers in musical theater are still great on the Spanish stage; Otherwise it is not understood that an interpreter of Marta Ribera’s talent does not enjoy the recognition she deserves. Her Rose possesses the charisma, brilliance and pathos that the character requires, with a moving final scene that is a painful confession and an emotional striptease on stage where her daughter physically undresses.

‘Gypsy’ tells the story of a mother, Rose, who puts on shows for her two daughters; one has the talent and the other accompanies her. Until the first, June, decides to abandon her mother and start a career away from her. Then Rose insists on making her other daughter, Louise, the star that she couldn’t be, but she fails until she finds her path and success in the striptease. Jule Styneauthor of titles such as ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’, ‘Funny Girl’ or ‘Bells are ringing’, composed an exuberant score, a perfect example of what is known as the ‘Broadway sound’ (and which twenty-six perform live here musicians; the overture opens the doors to that imagined universe of sequins and neon. Songs like ‘Some people’, ‘Rose’s Turn’ and, above all, ‘Everything’s Coming Up Roses’ – a standard that has been sung by artists such as Billy Porter, Shirley Bassey, Michael Feinstein or Johnny Mathis – have transcended the stage but have an inherent drama.

Antonio Banderas has created a universe that seems to spring from the imagination of its protagonist. Supported by large silver curtains (ovation and return to the ring for the illuminators, Juan Gómez Cornejo and Carlos Torrijos) and in the dreamy dressing room of Antonio Belart and Rafael Garrigósdraws the trajectory of the protagonist and her ‘cut’ from a frayed glamour, and always places the emphasis on the interpretation – spoken, sung or danced -.

To achieve this, it has an excellent cast that supports Marta Ribera with great quality: Lydia Fairen -another of the treasures of our musical theater- draws the very curved arc of his character with true mastery. Laia Pratslike June, and Carlos Seguilike Herbie, give the exact color to their papers. See Carme Conesa, Marta Valverde and Lorena Calero in three hilarious characters is a luxury, and of the secondary ones we must mention Aaron Cobos already Begoña Álvarezsplendid in their respective scenes.