West End's Funny Girl opens tonight- Page 2

[Copperfield2]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 9:12am

My Man is a great song but so is The Music That Makes Me Dance which is one of Jule Styne's best songs so I hope they didn't cut that!

[Copperfield2]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 9:14am

I would argue that Mimi HInes did a terrific version of The Music That Makes Me Dance when she was in Funny Girl. I was a teen at the time when I saw her in it.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 9:16am

Is this the one that has the revised libretto by Harvey Feirstein?

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 9:24am

Yes

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 1:41pm

I saw it with Hines as well.She is probably closer in stature and demeanor to the real  Fanny than anyone who might have played her

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 1:49pm

So did anyone see the show?

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 1:49pm

So did anyone see the show?

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 7:05pm

Hamilton22 said: "So did anyone see the show?

 

"

Yes.  What else do you want to know?

[FunnyGirl5]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 7:13pm

ggersten said: "Hamilton22 said: "So did anyone see the show?

 

 Was Sheridan Good OR MISCAST ?

 

"

 

Yes.  What else do you want to know?

 

"

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/22/15 at 9:16pm

Hamilton22's question was silly as the first page of this thread answered that question.  Moreover, the first page of this thread referenced impressions by people who had seen this production as well as pointing to theatreforum.com  for those impressions.  (You have to register for that site to read the message boards).  I'm not in London - have not seen this production - but there is information out there.  

[goldenboy]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 11:35am

Mimi HInes has a CD out. Music That Makes Me Dance is on it.

I don't know if its difficult to get but its out there.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 5:03pm

goldenboy said: "Mimi HInes has a CD out. Music That Makes Me Dance is on it.

 

I don't know if its difficult to get but its out there.

 

"

There are a lot of copies floating around; it's really a wonderful album! It took us less than a year to find it at Amazon. It's a two-disc recording and Hines sings much of the FG score on it.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 5:30pm

Kids, "My Man" is a standard. It was beautifully sung by Fannie Brice. Billie Holiday had a hit with it, as did Ethel Waters and various other singers. NONE of us has heard all the covers nor is qualified to say who sang it best.

 

It was originally Ray Stark's intention to use it in the stage show, but he couldn't afford the rights given the show's budget. (That it was so expensive should tell us all something about how well-known the song actually was before Streisand got to it.) Streisand did, however, end her final performance as Fannie with "My Man" and recordings of that event exist and have been linked here; yes, it worked on stage and whether one prefers it to the PARADE reprise is a matter of taste.

 

The film COULD afford the rights to the song and Streisand sang it in her own, unique and wonderful, way. But it didn't replace "Music that Makes Me Dance", which is sung at an earlier point in the plot. "Music" and "Who Are You Now?" were both cut and replaced with the title number, a different ballad. (Common Hollywood practice, but FUNNY GIRL was famous for the number of songs written, tried and cut even before it reached Broadway.)

 

Three years after the film, Diana Ross sang "My Man" while playing Billie Holiday in the bio film LADY SINGS THE BLUES. The Ross version is quite different, but also excellent.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 6:36pm

Well said, Gaveston. The producers of the broadway show always wanted "My Man" in the show. They knew it was the stronger song. 

 

Does anyone have a link to Streisand singing My Man at her last performance of Funny Girl?

EDIT: Nevermind I found it.

/

Updated On: 11/27/15 at 06:36 PM

Posted: 11/27/15 at 6:40pm

Has anyone ACTUALLY seen the show?

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 6:50pm

If they have, they don't want to talk about it.

Ps. Please don't be another troll account by Liza's Headband. Thanks.

 

.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 6:54pm

RyanScholls said: "Has anyone ACTUALLY seen the show?

 

At menier? Yes, it's full of reviews on theatreforum.

 

[edcrum]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 6:59pm

I saw the first preview. And am returning tomorrow matinee. It is an utter joy! SS is perfect, no trace of Barbra, making the role fresh. She had us in the pal of her hand. MCF is tiny so a chorus line of 8 fills it. Special mention to Marilyn Cutts too (as Mrs Brice). 

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 7:06pm

Is her voice powerful enough to knock out those big bumbers like I'm the greatest star, People, Don't rain on my parade and such? I'm particularly interested in greatest star. The song doesn't work unless you actually believe you're listening to the greatest star. Is Sheridan the greatest star?

[edcrum]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 7:13pm

At first preview she seemed to under sing everything until Don't Rain...  But then, boy did she belt! I agree that Greatest Star should be her convincing us, so hope she does exactly that tomorrow. She does have a powerful voice so I'm sure it'll be spot on by press night. 

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 7:30pm

"At first preview she seemed to under sing everything until Don't Rain... "

 

Ah that's what I was afraid of. Elena Roger did the same thing in Evita (what a disaster). I hate when the audience consciously knows a performer is under singing to save her voice. I get why Sheridan was but THIS IS FANNY BRICE!. You have to be fearless when you're playing Fanny Brice. There's a reason why this show is never revived and one of the main reasons  is  because the score is so unmercifully challenging. 

 

But you gotta go for it. Never under sing in a part like this. Patti Lupone belted her head off 6 times a week in Evita and she was scared sh*tless when she did it.....but she still did it. That's what separates the Legends from the  knock offs.

 

Of course I'm not saying Sheridan is a knock off. It was the first preview after all so she get's some leniency. But man of man I hope she is the greatest star by press night. 

 

.

Updated On: 11/27/15 at 07:30 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 8:03pm

It seems that that's exactly what you're saying.  You really wrote a lot there supporting your entire thesis.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 8:17pm

 I haven't seen Sheridan so I can't say...... but THIS is the type of theatre world we live in these days. Shows these days don't call for  rare talents like Patti Lupone or Liza Minelli or Barbra Streisand anymore. These days, it's all done with such a machine like attitude. Just pop in the next girl who can hit a high C, and then the next and the next and the next and what you get is what I call "processed food". Sure it's fine, but it doesn't leave any type of mark or impression.

 

Sure 60 girls can sing Elphaba but that doesn't mean anything anymore. it's all the same crap. replacement after replacement of "good enough" quality for Broadway. No one sticks out anymore. There are no rare talents anymore because Broadway and the west end doesn't cater to it that like it used to.

 

Yeah you might be able to get through the role of Fanny Brice or Eva, but how many of them are living it like Patti and Babs did? Everything is so calculated on Broadway these days. You need a rare voice and talent for those kinds of roles and most girls they hire for Elphaba or Fanny can sing it, but they don't REALLY SAAAAANGG it. They don't really ACCCCT it. 

 

The only recently new bonafide star we have on Broaday is  Idina Menzel. She sticks out. She is exciting and rare. She isn't processed food. She is a legit bonafied star. She can sell a show. 90 percent of the girls they hire for Elphaba couldn't...

 

Besides Idina  and some  obvious talented ladies, no one else is really there.

 

It's sad. Broadway doesn't make stars anymore. At least not for Musical theatre women.

 

.

Updated On: 11/27/15 at 08:17 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 8:18pm

Yeah.  Shows these days.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 8:24pm

It's not the actresses fault though. Broadway is just a completely different machine now.