OFFICAL: Michael Mayer to Helm West End Revival of FUNNY GIRL, Starring Sheridan Smith- Page 2

[The Other One]

Posted: 9/18/15 at 5:48am

Harvey will probably beef up Eddie Ryan's role.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/18/15 at 9:58pm

JBroadway said: "I bet you anything that the "re-working" of the book will somehow involve changing the text so it doesn't make Sheridan Smith's casting seem completely ridiculous. 

 

 

 

As a Jewish person, I've always admired Funny Girl for being one of the only stories to overtly deal with the stereotype of the Jewish "look," which Sheridan does not at all possess. 

 

 

 

"
Well there's been a long general opinion that the book is subpar.  But c'mon--you think they're gonna make Fanny Brice and gentile?  ANd they hired a Jewish author for that job??

 

Updated On: 9/18/15 at 09:58 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/18/15 at 10:36pm

 

Harvey's involvement is the first thing that has me remotely optimistic about this revival.

 

Now if only they can just replace the leading lady.

[FBay]

Posted: 9/18/15 at 10:40pm

PalJoey said: " 

 

Harvey's involvement is the first thing that has me remotely optimistic about this revival.

 

Sheridan has two Olivier Awards

 

 

Now if only they can just replace the leading lady.

 

"

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/19/15 at 12:17am

I've seen once--having no idea who she was--and she really steals the stage.  This is perfect material with her and I can't help thinking anyone who doesn't think so, just doesn't like the idea of a non-American in the role (or, to be more fair, simply doesn't know her work...)

Besides, while it admittedly is a tiny house, she obviously is an audience draw in London.  Which this show needs.

[WestCoastActor/Director]

Posted: 9/19/15 at 6:09pm

Since the entire run is sold out I guess Sheridan was all the draw the show needed.

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/19/15 at 6:13pm

Is there a more respected script adaptor/show doctor than Harvey Fierstein? It seems that whenever a tantalizing but difficult-to-reconceive production is to be mounted, somebody says "Get Harvey to write the book," and he almost always does wonders. Funny Girl, Newsies, Mrs. Doubtfire, Kinky Boots... I suspect that any day now we're going to hear Harvey is writing the book to Bombshell too, and more power to him.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:08pm

Another double-Olivier award winner, Samantha Spiro, did Funny Girl at Chichester about five years ago. Samantha is a great talent and both her Oliviers, unlike Sheridan, are for Best Actress in a Musical.

But, unlike goodness-knows-how-many recent Chichetser productions, it didn't transfer.

So Sheridan is undoubtedly the draw here. I knew tickets would evaporate but even I didn't anticipate how fast; I completely failed to secure any.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:19pm

 

 

Serious question: What is there's here to make anyone look forward to her playing Fanny Brice in a first-ever Broadway revival of Funny Girl?

 

 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 5:57pm

Based on the recording, Sheridan Smith actually made LEGALLY BLONDE work out like it was supposed to. Gone was the blandness and emptiness of Laura Bell Bundy, which Smith replaced with the kind of fire, energy, charisma, and humor that should define Elle Woods. I love her Olivier-winning performance in the London cast recording of the show, and I can only imagine how fantastic she was live in the role.

Having said that, I'm with PalJoey on this one. What is there to her that would make her a good fit for Fanny Brice specifically? I just don't see it. There are many great comedic roles I'd love to see her play, Miss Adelaide, for example, seems like a great fit for her. Fanny Brice, with her very specific jewishness playing such a main part of the plot, does not seem to be it.

[MM21]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:13pm

Sheridan is a great actress. But do think you need a big over  the top actress for this.

 

 

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 07:13 PM

[kp]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:15pm

Serious question - I wonder whether she should be given a chance to play the role before judging her? She is extraordinarily talented and versatile - she may well pull it of. I imagine if she isn't terrific, she won't come to Broadway so you needn't worry PalJoey.

I have seen many casting decisions , which on paper may seem odd but turn out to be wonderful choices. Perhaps PalJoey, you just lack the imagination to see beyond a narrow, obvious and blinkered view. Hopefully you are not a casting director.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:22pm

I'm sure she is very talented. My issue is that she doesn't look Jewish. There are literally lines of dialogue in Funny Girl about Fanny having a prominent nose, which Sheridan does not possess. Unless they're going in a "Cyrano-esque" direction with the make-up design, I'm sure those lines are gonna have to go. 

 

As for Fierstein: I admit I'm not very familiar with his writing work. I know he's written lots of renowned plays, as well as La Cage Aux Folles (I've heard the score, but never seen a production). The only musical librettos of his that I've seen are Newsies and Kinky Boots. Based on those 2 data-points, I'm not optimistic about his involvement. 

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 07:22 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:23pm

 

Yes, perhaps I lack imagination.

 

Or perhaps I just have opinions.

 

And, no, I am not a casting director.

 

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:43pm

Why even do a revival of Funny Girl? It was a one woman show that Barbra brought to life differently every night. If someone has the star power and charisma of Barbra, then they might as well just do an original show instead.

Not sure how I feel about Sheridan. Didn't care for her performance in Legally Blonde and her voice doesn't seem right for Funny Girl. I hope I'm proven wrong. 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:49pm

Mr Roxy said: "I saw the original but not with you know who. She had already left by then. I saw it with Mimi Hines . Check her name in Wikipedia.

 

She really resembled Brice whereas all those who have played it or are mentioned for possible productions look nothing like her. It would be nice to find someone who looks like her, can sing & can act. This would be a great Funny Girl.

 

"

Roxy, I was playing Mimi's double album last night. If she isn't as fierce as Streisand is on the OBC album, she otherwise sings the score at least as well. I worked with Mimi about 8 years ago at The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies and she is just as funny and sings as well as ever. She's also one of the nicest stars I've ever dealt with. I was thinking that if I could go back in time, I would go back to see Mimi's Brice. I've seen (and loved) Streisand's on film.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 7:54pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "So much of the book was tailored to Streisand's talent.

 

Those tailorings to Streisand were implimented into FUNNY GIRL after the musical's bumpy out-of-town tryouts. Once they arrived into NY in early 1964, Jerome Robbins was brought in to "doctor" the show and he quickly assessed the problem: the musical needs to be The Barbra Streisand Show and trimmed away anything that takes away from her. Jean Stapleton (the original Mrs. Strakosh) has said in the press that the entire cast was informed that the show was going to be going through an extensive reworking and that scenes and roles will be trimmed or completely cut and they all agreed it was for the best of the musical. This tailoring bit was continued for Marilyn Michaels in the First National Tour and Streisand's replacement Mimi Hines - adding to the role certain strengths each actress possessed.

 

"

You are certainly right about the tailoring for Streisand. (And it wasn't just the book. Legend has it Styne and Merrill wrote something close to 60 songs before and during the tryout and previews of the show.)

 

But as for tailoring the show for replacements, that's odd. Because I heard from an equally knowledgeable source that they changed little for Mimi Hines, even leaving her to sing in Streisand's keys for almost a year until a friend of hers insisted she demand the role (and keys) be tailored for her. (I'm sure the show improved when they did. I can't imagine two more different types.)

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 8:19pm

For the record, Mimi Hines--who kept FUNNY GIRL running on Broadway as long (18 months) as Streisand did--is neither Jewish nor American.

 

She was born in Vancouver, but I've forgotten exactly what she said about her religious background: it was one of the major Protestant denominations. She doesn't even have a particularly large nose: she's "just" a great singer, a great comedienne, and not "pretty" is a traditionally WASP style.

Updated On: 9/20/15 at 08:19 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 8:34pm

 

 

My mother saw both Streisand and Mimi Hines and always said Mimi Hines was better.

 

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/20/15 at 8:52pm

^^^ I'm not surprised, joey, given the reports of Streisand walking through the show much of the time after the opening.

 

My mother and my husband raved about Mimi for the first 50 years of my life until I finally got to see and work with her in Palm Springs. (They knew her from TV, not Broadway.) It was well worth the wait and I was not in the least disappointed!

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/29/15 at 8:47pm

Now it is a West End show. After closing at Menier on March 5, going into the Savoy starting April 9 (so, Gypsy is definitely closing!)

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 4:23pm

I'll be honest, I love Barbra Streisand. However, I would be interested in getting a new studio recording of the score, especially since the article about Harvey Fierstein's comments (https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Harvey-Fierstein-on-West-End-Bound-FUNNY-GIRL-Ive-Edited-It-to-Make-It-Stronger-20151030) state changes to the score: "Other changes include excising two songs, repositioning others, and adding in two previously unused tunes by Styne & Merrill -- now part of the show for the first time". Whether or not they're any good, who knows yet. I would just like to hear them.

 

On a side note, there is only the original Broadway cast album and movie soundtrack of the score, correct?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 4:59pm

The demos of songs written for FG are well known.  I know this is a fool's errand, but anyone wanna make a guess as to which are being added back in (one of the songs for Nicky like the Lulabye that some say was cut due to Sydney's lack of much of a voice?) and which are cut (I'm guessing the cut songs are one of the Ziegfeld numbers or something fairly minor--and not seen through Fanny's eyes as this concept says--like Find Yourself a Man.)

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 5:15pm

They just better have "My Man" in this show. It's one of the best songs and much better than the one they used for the original Broadway show. I also hope they put in "Cornet Man".

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 5:24pm

Hamilton22 said: "They just better have "My Man" in this show. It's one of the best songs and much better than the one they used for the original Broadway show. I also hope they put in "Cornet Man".

 

"

Cornet Man is in the original show.  It was not cut (I can't remember if it was cut for the film.)

The song My Man replaces is Don't Rain on My Parade Reprise--people seem to forget this.  Yes the film cut Music That Makes me Dance and Who Are You Now (two of my faves that they better--and surely will--keep,) but My Man does not occur in the spot of either.  And I actually dislike the change as much as I like hearing her sing it--My Man leaves Fanny as a victim at the end in a sense--Parade Reprise shows her ready to get over Nicky.