The Hayes Theatre, Sydney
May 22, 2018

Few shows have endured the way the 1959 musical Gypsy has. With a book by Arthur Laurents and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the musical is beloved for its psychologically rich characters and Jule Styne’s brassy score – neither of which have dulled with age. Loosely based on the memoirs of burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee, since its premiere the show has had numerous revivals on Broadway, with Rose – Gypsy’s hard-driving stage-mother – sung by the likes of Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, and, in the recent West End revival, Imelda Staunton.

Director Richard Carroll’s new production for the Hayes Theatre, which sees Blazey Best in the role of Rose, eschews Broadway glitz for a stripped back, DIY, seat-of-the-pants aesthetic created by designer Alicia Clements (and effectively lit by Trent Suidgeest) in keeping with the era, the 1920s and 30s and the twilight years of Vaudeville, framed by a proscenium arch that stands in for a blur of run-down theatres and halls across the USA.

Blazey Best, Anthony Harkin and Laura Bunting in Hayes Theatre Co’s Gypsy. Photo © Phil Erbacher

Stripped back too is Blazey Best’s performance as...