Keep it real, homies!

Patti LuPone is definitely a freak of nature, but her performance in the recent Gypsy Broadway transfer, at least last night, seemed to lack the focus and subtlety she displayed at City Center earlier this summer. I mean, she’s still f*cking amazing, but there were definitely some pushed line readings. Trish described some seeming almost like asides to the audience rather than conversational. Reel it in Patti! It actually seemed like everyone was a tad over the top last night. My guess? The cast is overcompensating due to fatigue on a two show day. Laura Benanti (Louise) turned in the most solid performance of the evening, yet her screaming in the act two dressing room scene bordered on “Mommie Dearest” campiness. Again, reel it in biyatches! Boyd Gaines is a likeable Herbie with just enough backbone as to not seem like too much of a wuss. Leigh Ann Larkin’s deadpan Dainty June really added some new dimension to the character at City Center, but upon transferring to Broadway seems to be pushing too hard and is starting to come off a tad cartoonish. Sometimes less IS more and more is just, well, too much. I was nearly brought to tears at City Center because I believed these were real characters, but on Broadway I started to see the actors work, almost begging the audience for a standing ovation. Keep it real, homies! The only number that actually benefitted from the "more is more" direction was the Gotta' Have a Gimmick number. It’s still an amazing performance of first rate material and a second viewing only magnifies the lack of quality book shows currently playing/being written - Legally Blond, anyone? And for the record, I didn’t hate LB, I just wouldn’t exactly label it a classic.

The orchestra sounded glorious and to hear the overture in its original orchestration is worth the ticket price alone. I hope this is a continuing trend, with South Pacific also touting a 30-piece orchestra playing the original Russell Bennett orchestrations. Unlike some angry posters on ATC, the minimalist set didn’t bother me at all. I really don’t pay to see helicopters or chandeliers. I’ll take a kick-ass cast and full orchestra over a turn table any day.