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"You either have it! Or you've HAD it!"
--Ethel Merman as Mama Rose in "Gypsy"
Which brings us to "Rose's Turn," darlings!!!!!!! Why???????? Because, ever since I first heard the Original Cast album of "Gypsy," at age 12, I have wanted to do this role, and this number. It is a killer, which is more the reason why I want to do it! I have the pipes for it, and I can do it!
It kills in two ways. It demands belting almost the entire time. There are very few quiet moments in it. There are moments where you can bring it down to a degree, especially if you want to make the big finish at the end. But, most of the time, it is full out, in the audience's face.
Then there is the emotional component, which makes the number especially burdensome. The character has reached a point in her life where she feels rejected, abandoned by everyone, and what does she have left? The audience has spent the entire evening seeing her knock herself out, for everyone else around her, but what does she have for herself?
Who hasn't felt this at one time, darlings????????? And, so, in doing "Rose's Turn," to show Rose's demons, the performer has to use their own. Don't worry; I've got plenty. And, like Rose, I have been waiting to do this, for a long time.
So, I have decided that, come my 60th birthday in November, I am going to do "Rose's Turn."
It will be MY "Rose's Turn," of course. I cannot helped but be influenced by Ethel or Patti. But, in the end it will be mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will tell you what, girls! I will let you decide! Feel free to tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For me, darlings! For ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
2 comments:
Angela Lansbury was by far, the best Rose EVER. Her Rose's Turn was the most thrilling, galvanizing piece of theatre I have ever seen. 40 years later I still get goosebumps thinking about it. She truly got what that number is supposed to be:a nervous breakdown on stage. I have since seen Tyne, Bernadette, and Patti. None of them came close.
I saw the Angela Lansbury revival. It was my first time seeing "Gypsy" on stage, and I was pretty impressed. I recall how good Bonnie Langford was as Baby June, and Zan Charisse (Cyd's niece) as Louise. What ever happened to her? As for Angela, she sang and acted like a dream. But while her vocals on "Rose's Turn" sounded fine, something was a bit too restrained. On the other hand, Patti was anything but. But that's Patti. I loved all the Roses that I have seen, except Berandette, who did not have it. Wish I could have seen Ethel; she , to me is still the Gold Standard!!!!!!!!!
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