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Regional Reviews: San Francisco Gypsy Also see Jeanie's review of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity and Richard's reviews of Carrie, Warrior Class and Randy Roberts Live!
When a theater company decides to take on this monster of a show, they had better—like a mountaineer hoping to climb Everest—be prepared with the right team, the right equipment and the right training. Fortunately for North Bay theatergoers, in the production of Gypsy being staged at the Novato Theater Company, enough of those elements are present to make their version of this classic show well worth seeing. Let's begin with the positives. With any production of Gypsy, it all begins and ends with Rose. The role is one many actresses dream of playing, and no wonder: Rose is funny, charming, conniving, fierce, complicated—and that's only in her first scene. Then there's the matter of the songs she gets to sing: "Some People," Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Rose's Turn," and others. Of course, any actress worth her salt would want to play her. But if you haven't got shoulders broad enough to support all the emotional weight Rose must bear, best to leave the role to someone who does. Fortunately, Daniela Innocenti-Beem is, for the most part, up to this herculean task. Her voice is solid, with a strong belt complemented by a delicacy and tenderness when that's what's required. She's quite believable as the narcissistic stage mother who pretends she's trying to do what's best for her daughters when she is in fact only trying to serve her own needs. My primary criticism of Ms. Innocenti-Beem is that I think she's so happy and excited to be able to play this classic role that she can't always contain her giddiness during scenes when she needs to be selfish and calculating and manipulative. As daughters Baby/Dainty June and Louise, Julianne Thompson and Gillian Eichenberger have a nearly equally tough challenge: how to find their way out of their mother's very large shadow. From an acting standpoint, both Thompson and Eichenberger hold their own. It's when they have to sing that the challenges arise. Louise doesn't need an exceptionally strong voice, since she is supposedly the less-talented of the pair. As Baby June, Eichenberger brings a delightfully pixie-like quality to the role. Her squeaky voice is perfect for some of the early songs, but later in the show a little extra oomph from Dainty June would go a long way, especially with the orchestra positioned at house right where their output often overwhelms the weaker voices on stage. The rest of the cast is likable and sincere, with Ron Dailey (in multiple roles) providing some excellent comic relief. Despite a few flat notes, Michael Lumb as Tulsa does an excellent job with his big number, "All I Need Is the Girl." Where the production falls down is in the staging. Though limited by the strip mall setting of the theater, that's really no excuse for such a bland, imagination-free interpretation of the world of vaudeville. A faux brick wall and a few solid color flats is the best you can come up with? And when it's time to move stage elements in and out of place, even the five-piece orchestra in full volume can't cover up the galumphing and crashing one hears from behind the curtain during scene changes. In fact, later in the show, when the crashing of changing scenery is being played for comic effect, it took me awhile to realize it because I'd come to expect a racket from backstage. If there is one thing Gypsy communicates, it's how compelling the world of the theatre is. If, like Lady Gaga, you "live for the applause applause applause," there's nothing like being on stage with something truly entertaining to deliver. It's addictive, something Louise ultimately discovers when she takes on the persona of Gypsy Rose Lee and becomes a star. It's something Rose knows from the opening bars, and that Daniela Innocenti-Beem communicates powerfully when, as her character leaves the stage for the last time, she casts a final, longing look over her shoulder at the world Rose is leaving behind. Gypsy runs through November 10 at the Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Drive, Novato. Shows are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 general, $22 for seniors and students and $12 for those 12 and under. Tickets and additional information are available at www.novatotheatercompany.org or by calling 415-883-4498.
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