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Barbra Streisand will not star in “Gypsy” after all
This is incredibly frustrating!
I was so looking forward to Barbra Streisand playing Mama Rose in a new film version of Gypsy. We have not seen this great star in a big screen musical since 1983′s Yentl and I was licking my chops at the prospect of her belting out Some People, Everything’s Coming Up Roses and, of course, Rose’s Turn.
Although Streisand reluctantly confirmed to the LA Times last month that she would be doing the film calling it a “bookend” to her film debut in 1968′s Funny Girl, the whole thing has come to a grinding halt.
Playwright-director Arthur Laurents, one of the rights holders to the work, tells the Hartford Courant that the film version is not going to happen “for a really fascinating reason, much bigger than ‘Gypsy.’ ”
The 93-year-old recently spoke with the musical’s lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, who asked Laurents why he wanted to allow the film project to happen. “He said, ‘What is the point of it?’ And I said, ‘They have this terrible version with Rosalind Russell wearing those black and white shoes.’ And then Sondheim told me something that he got from the British — and it’s wonderful. He said, ‘You want a record because the theater is ephemeral. But that’s wrong. The theater’s greatest essence is that it is ephemeral. You don’t need a record. The fact that it’s ephemeral means you can have different productions, different Roses on into infinity.’
“So I don’t want it now. I don’t want a definitive record. I want it to stay alive.
“I think [Streisand] is disappointed. She wanted very much to do it. That would have been a good exit for her career. Tom Hopper ["The King's Speech"] wanted to direct it. I think he’s wonderful.”
Okay, so I’ve read his comments and STILL don’t get it! Please reconsider and let us enjoy what is sure to be an unbelievable version of this great musical starring one of the greatest musical talents to have ever walked the Earth.
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
Marc says:
That is such a stupid reason for not letting Barbra do a movie. Bette did a great TV movie version, but that didn’t stop Bernadette or Patti to play Mama after that. I think the stage version would definitely “stay alive” after Barbra’s film.
Jeff K says:
I luv Streisand…but after hearing her sing on the Grammys, I don’t think there is much of that GREAT VOICE left…..
carlye says:
Great news! Sounded like a train wreck waiting to happen. At 70, Babs is far to old for the project. Only someone 93 – that would be Arthur Laurents – would think she was the right age. He should retire already.
Nick says:
Film versions of theater productions do not affect the ephemeral quality of the theater at all. There are so many examples. Having the 70s era film record of “Hair” didn’t prevent the very successful recent Broadway revival. Didn’t “Chicago’s” stage success continue after the movie version; or perhaps even because of the movie version? And what about “Hairspray?” First a non-musical movie, then a Broadway musical, and then a Hollywood hit as a movie musical.
Sondheim and Laurents seem to miss one of the main points of having a film record of a theater hit. So all those kids from the midwest, Alaska, Istanbul, etc., that have no access to any live theater, let alone Broadway, can also have the experience, even if it is through a paler Hollywood-produced version. Best case to me would be if there were more videos available of all the various live productions. Just point a camera at the stage and press “record.”
2201 East says:
Striesand is known for her need to maintain absolute control of all that is going on around her. I question whether Streisand could have back off from that enough for this project to be successful. Realistically her age does need to be taken into the equation.