Everything's Coming Up Ria!

My first visit to the Royal Exchange this year brought us their Christmas/Winter show, which this year is the classic Gypsy; I'll be honest and say I didn't think I was going to be able to see this as the Royal Exchange charged almost £50 for even the 2nd gallery! But some cheaper seats at certain performances meant otherwise; it's currently in the penultimate week of its long run here in Manchester.

I have talked about Gypsy before, when I saw the revival in London starring the one and only Imelda Staunton - her performance as Momma Rose is still one I remember today! So I was intrigued to see a fresh take of the piece, one that is rarely performed in the UK.

Taking on the formidable stage mother this time was Ria Jones (Sunset Boulevard) making her Royal Exchange debut. I admit that her take on Rose was very different than Staunton's - this was a woman who was NOT going to give up on her daughters living her own dreams of stardom NO MATTER WHAT, being certainly more stubborn, making her family leaving her one by one seem all the more inevitable.

She perhaps didn't have as much vulnerability as Staunton did either, and the relationship between her and Herbie (played by Dale Rapley (The Addams Family)) may not have been as warm as Staunton and Peter Davison; but PLEASE do not think that I am favouring one powerhouse leading lady over another. This is a classic example of how different takes can both mean a commanding performance.

Even though Rose is the leading character however, one thing you come to realise is that this isn't HER story at all. This is GYPSY's! Rose was determined to make her daughters stars, and with Melissa James as Louise, she did exactly that.

Louise doesn't seem much at first, the meek and shy elder daughter who seemingly has no talent. But you realise during her striptease at the end that she had been hunched into herself the whole show until that point. During her striptease, she blossomed - you can tell she became more confident, she held herself better with her posture, even the tone of her voice COMEPLTELY changed.
I was looking forward to seeing her come on again every time, but that number sealed it - best performance of the night!

As well as the two stars, I must also talk about my favourite number - You Gotta Get A Gimmick, during which the three strippers go through the secrets of their burlesque acts. This is purely and simply because it is the most entertaining song of the night; you can tell (played by Suzie Chard, Kate O'Donnell (Twelfth Night) and Lizzie Nance (u/s)) must have a blast performing that number every night and seeing the audiences reactions. One of them went a little bit further than you would expect and performed a bit of ankle grinding... My parents faces were interesting during that bit.... 😅

What I always enjoy about The Royal Exchange is how they can adapt these classics for an in-the-round space, especially with set and props; something I have loved since that incredible Audrey II puppet that now resides on display at the entrance of the theatre...!
Gypsy included one during the Newsboys number that even had a mini trampoline inside it, a mini train built into the top, and a set of theatre lights that revolved the full 360 degrees. !

If you have never seen this classic before and are in the Northern area, then this is a fantastic choice for beating the January blues - we have just had Blue Monday after all..! As I said before, the run finishes on 2nd February, so get in quick. If you go on Monday-Wednesday, you have more of a change at getting slightly cheaper seats too.

Is it as good/better than Staunton's? No comment! Because this Gypsy Rose Lee is 100% its own thing.