Chichester's GYPSY, Starring Imelda Staunton, Eyes West End Transfer

Imelda Staunton stars as 'Mama Rose' in Chichester Festival Theatre's current production of Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's GYPSY, running now through November 8. The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye Tweeted this evening that the production is in negotiations for a West End transfer.

Negotiations on a knife-edge re W.End transfer of @ChichesterFT BRILLIANT #gypsy with #ImeldaStaunton's LANDMARK MOMMA ROSE.It MUST come in.

- Baz Bamigboye (@BazBam) November 6, 2014

Rose Hovick has big plans for her two little daughters. Baby June is the innocent star of her show, and across the shabby stages of far-flung American towns Mama Rose plans to keep her that way. But year on year times are changing, June is growing up, and the lights are going down on the cheery family acts of vaudeville. When teenaged June dramatically quits the show, desperate Rose turns her fierce attention to her other, shyer daughter, Louise. But Louise has spent a lifetime in her sister's shadow and doesn't match her mother's ambition, or fit into the tired old routine. More dubiously, vaudeville has been replaced by the riskier attractions of burlesque, and audiences are now expecting to see much more of their stars than ever before.

Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy is considered by many to be the greatest of the Broadway musicals. Featuring classics such as "Let Me Entertain You," "Rose's Turn" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses," Gypsy is both moving and spectacularly entertaining.

Staunton returns to Chichester to play the legendary 'Mama Rose'. She teams up again with Jonathan Kent, who directed her in another classic Sondheim role, Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd (2011), a performance earning her the 2013 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Lara Pulver returns to Chichester to play Louise following her performance in Uncle Vanya (2012). Kevin Whately, familiar to many as Lewis (ITV), makes his Chichester debut as Herbie.

Photo Credit: Johan Persson