Another of my relatively infrequent visits to that London, for a night at the theatre this evening with Ros and my parents. And, as it was my choice, one that my parents would enjoy, no lesbian opera (you mock, but 'The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant' was interesting in its own way) but instead one of the classic musicals, 'Gypsy', at the Savoy Theatre.
I have concluded, after many years of general uselessness, that the best thing to give my parents is not stuff, but time. So, last year, we had a day at the races at Newmarket, as my parents enjoy that, and it gave us time to talk. And this year, I thought that a show would be good.
The reviews were promising, and Imelda Staunton, as Rose, had been raved about by the popular press. Well, I have to tell you, she was amazing. Her voice was a revelation and her performance truly worthy of the standing ovation she got at the end. And the rest of the cast were able to live up to that standard, with Peter Davison as Herbie, and Lara Pulver as Louise, able to avoid being overshadowed.
The most well-known of all of the numbers in the show is almost certainly 'Everything's Coming Up Roses', but a number of the tunes are at least vaguely familiar, or at least, they were to me, and the whole show is generally excellent, even though the plot itself has its dark, slightly sinister, moments, especially as the true horror of Rose's character becomes apparent.
So, if you want to do something that your parents will enjoy, or if you simply love a good show tune - the orchestra were really excellent too - you will do far worse than picking 'Gypsy'. I've got no regrets, and you can't say fairer than that, can you?
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