Pitlochry Theatre stunned with its opening production. A fun-filled frenzy of youth and middle age, hope and flawed dreams, Gypsy has come to town and will no doubt be a big seller all season.
I’m ever refreshed to enter the same auditorium at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and to see what’s been happening while we’ve been away and the first sight of the first production was a thing of dynamic beauty to behold.
Gypsy has some cracking musical numbers, the Stephen Sondheim songs are winners and the evergreen ‘Everything’s Coming up Roses’ and ‘Some People’ will stick in my mind.
Lighting, positions and choreography were sharp and Ben Occhipinti’s direction top-notch.
It’s a skill to demonstrate a play within a play and June’s ‘Let Me Entertain You’ routine had to be a clonky, amateur show to boot.
The revolving stage design worked masterfully and, by keeping the ensemble orchestra off to the side of the second theatre space, their musical bridge worked admirably.
Comedy was delivered in the form of clucky Mama Rose (played by new face at PFT, Shona White), ever present in the wings, pressing her young charges forward, steamrollering her way into centre stage, oblivious to any director’s irritation.
Bossy Mama Rose with her cry of “Sing out Louise!” symbolised an extreme parent’s blinkered desperation to experience success though their children’s hard work. But White gave her a heart deep down under all the bluster allowing final reconciliation to be possible.
Blythe Jandoo as Louise brilliantly suggested the younger ‘spare’ sister of the performing family, unsure of her real age but certainly older than the ten candles on her birthday cake.
Louise’s posture, stature and dress evolved from the compliant, self-doubting child to the confident young woman who finally had the will to tell her mum to leave the dressing room - and the building. Her journey to professional maturity was poignant and arresting through Jandoo’s sensitive interpretation.
Mark Small as Herbie was warm and giving, demonstrating the need to be part of a family unit, however crazy. We winced at his loyalty overriding his better judgement and his ceaseless efforts to get the team a break. A muddled human certainly, but Herbie came across as a kind caretaker to children being woefully pawned to satisfy the insatiable Mama Rose.
We last saw Patricia Panther playing Tink in PFT’s Peter Pan at Christmas time and here she was as June, packing another punch.
June, in her ‘golden child’ position in the sibling hierarchy, has to be a limited, robotic extension of her creator, Mama Rose and Panther played her part well.
I loved the sulky, used-up Burlesque dancer played by Kristin Weichen Wong who broke the bad news that vauderville had had its day and, now in 1940s America, only strippers paid their bills.
Make plans to take a seat at the fabulous spectacle of Gypsy. It runs until September 30.
See www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com for tickets.
