| I saw Merman, and she was scary in her character's childish narcissism and fierce determination to push her children ahead. When she turned and told Louise, "I'm going to make you a star" the audience gasped and then pulled back in their seats when she sang, "I Had a Dream, a Dream about you Baby, it's gonna come true, Baby. They think that we're through, but baby ..." the audience physically recoiled at the naked rage. Her scene in the dressing room ended with Rose a beaten woman, so her Rose's turn was an attempt "rise form the dead - very tragic, and exhilarating in its raw emotion. Lansbury added a layer of lady to Rose, but also a level of cold fury that was scary in a completely different way, psychopathic as was her bowing in Rose's Turn." Lansbury showed the ego collapse of Rose during the number. Other Roses captured different moments well, but only Merman and Lansbury IMHO truly created a multi-layered tragic figure up there with Medea. |
