Patti LuPone Reprises Gypsy in West End in 2009???

West End producer and former LiveNation boss David Ian is aiming to bring last summer’s acclaimed New York revival of Gypsy to one of the bigger London musical houses in autumn 2009 (See The Goss, 17 Jul 2007). He told the Daily Mail he was keeping “a close eye on what’s shaking up and what’s shaking down” to find the best home for the massive production, which saw star Patti LuPone supported by a 30-strong cast and a 27-strong orchestra.

Gypsy tells the story of the American burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. Her ambitious stage mother, Mama Rose (LuPone), is determined that her two daughters will become stars and so she sets out to find fame and fortune for them. The 1959 Broadway musical has a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Jerome Robbins originally directed and choreographed the musical, which features songs such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”, “Rose’s Turn” and “Some People”.

Ninety-year-old Laurents directed the New York City Centre Encores! production himself in an attempt to right the wrongs committed by Sam Mendes’ panned 2003 Broadway revival (See The Goss, 14 Aug 2007).