In a word: Flawless. And that's not just Patti we're talking about, but every single performer on a cramped City Center stage (shared with a full orchestra) who's been directed with the knowing hand of Arthur Laurents. Thankfully, he has been able to capture perfect nuance with the smallest bit of staging, making the tiniest gestures evolve into character defining moments. Encores has spared little expense with a fully-staged production that makes the 2003 Broadway revival look like summer stock. Even the performers outdo their recent predecessors, with LuPone arguably the first Mama Rose to have the vocal chops of Merman, and boy does she use them. Just before the show ended, she stopped it with an incomparable rendition of 'Rose's Turn," audience applauding wildly with a well-deserved standing O. Laura Benanti gets major kudos for her transformation into Gypsy Rose Lee and for her perfect "Little Lamb," which she acts with weepy sincerity. City Center would be smart if they offered frequent flier miles for return visits to "Gypsy," because just like a Pringles potato chip, you can't have just one. I need to go back again and again because it's just that damn good.
