North Shore Theatre Company: Gypsy - Review by Daniel Conway

In every culture we have used storytelling to teach children about the world. These fables teach lessons about morality or ethics and quite often have similarities across cultures. Take the Cinderella story for example: almost every culture has a tale about a young girl who is rewarded for her obedience in spite of the cruelty of the adults in her life. Gypsy, based on the memoir of real-life burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee, was originally billed as a musical fable. So when I walked away from North Shore Theatre Company’s latest production, I was left pondering what the lesson here might be.

Photos courtesy of Yingyang Zhang

Gypsy is a show that I struggle with because of the tonal choices made in the script. I feel that the first act, which establishes Rose as the ultimate stage mother and her domineering presence, runs a little long and repeats the same comedic beats too often. Whereas the second act gives the actors more to do through interesting character development and complex scene work. I could watch act two all day long. Director Matt Dorahy has done an admirable job guiding the production through the change from act one’s camp, youthful energy to act two’s more mature and adult themes. One touch that I enjoyed to signal this shift was including the bows for the youth cast at the start of act two, signalling that Louise is no longer a child and is about to grow up in a big way. The lack of a male ensemble, particularly in smaller speaking roles, was noticeable. At times it encouraged Dorahy to lean into an absurdist camp that was sometimes successful, but I am grateful that the dearth of men did not stop this ensemble from shining.

A part of this production that deserves a lot of praise is the work of musical director Xia Lian Wilson. The band is tight and the vocals are well executed. Some shows can work with tracks, but Gypsy is not one of them. The authentic feel of the vaudeville sensibilities would not be the same without a live band, which is never easy to bring together and conduct. The music was a highlight of the evening for me.

Photos courtesy of Yingyang Zhang

I appreciated the work of choreographers Jess Luth and Georgia Van Der Sman. I liked the simplicity of the numbers so they could be executed by both the junior and adult casts and transition easily between the two. I did find it a little odd that the program indicated which number was choreographed by which person.

Rose is an iconic role with songs that permeate the zeitgeist, and the list of actresses who have made the role their own is star-studded. Kristen Kok holds her own among that esteemed company. She is a powerhouse who commands attention, showing dynamic range in her voice, and her scene work lifts those around her. The most iconic moment of the musical is the final number, where Rose has finally lost her purpose and is left to confront her own failings and motivations in “Rose’s Turn”. Kok gives this everything she has and by the end looks emotionally spent, priming us for the moving coda she shares with her onstage daughter.

Photos courtesy of Yingyang Zhang

Sabine Anais plays Louise, the girl who would become the titular Gypsy. Anais is brilliant in this role, morphing from an innocent, youthful girl who desperately wants love and attention into a powerful and confident woman. My only complaint is again with the script and how little time we spend with her final form, but the shift is dramatic and takes place over the course of the penultimate number. When Anais and Kok share the stage they have superb chemistry, which helps make the finale emotionally charged.

These women are supported by some very capable performers. Herbie is played by Rick Barta, who brings an affable quality to the role. Lauren Mitchell is June, and she really nails the manic smile of child stars being forced to perform. The casting of her alongside her younger self, Isla Watson, was very well done. Watson establishes the mannerisms and Mitchell picks them up in a smooth transition. Sam Larielle-Jones is perfectly endearing as Tulsa, and does a fine job with the most memorable male song in the show. Special mention to his younger self, Sebastian Andrade, who was so charismatic on stage.

Photos courtesy of Yingyang Zhang

No production is perfect, and there were a couple of things that did distract me. Firstly, I think some of the set pieces needed more attention to detail. I walk into community theatre expecting people to make the most of their means, but some elements could have been refined. For example, the lettering for the word Gypsy could have had more sparkle so that it caught the light and captured the grandeur the moment calls for. The other element that distracted me was the lighting plot. The Zenith is not a large space and so you can see everything, but there were many times that people’s faces were not lit in the middle of songs or scenes. This prevented us from seeing their emotion, and I hope it can be resolved so the audience can truly appreciate the wonderful performances on stage.

These issues aside, I enjoyed myself. I thought it was a fun night out and I was impressed by some great performers. As for the fable, I think the lesson here might be that mother does not always know best? Or maybe it is simply to sing out?

If you saw Gypsy, please let us know what you thought in the comments below.