FUNNY GIRL - cinemas

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 9:48am

Surprised there hasn't been a thread about this yet

Got the chance to see FUNNY GIRL in a Cinema last night. Throughly impressed with the production. Truth be told, I had never seen the show on a stage and its been forever since I saw the film

I found Sheridan engaging. She really grew on me. Sure some of the accents were all over the map but it was highly entertaining with great music and a wonderful show biz story. Production design and direction were great. My one quibble would be that when the stage wasn't fully lit - the screen looked grainy and not super sharp which I would imagine was part of the challenge of filming on HD

Certainly can see how this was such a hit at that wonderful tiny Menier Chocolate Factory - that must have been magical.

I have no idea if they are doing this again but I would def go see another live broadcast (seems like the NT Live ones have slowed down considerably)

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 10:33am

I was unable to see it on Wednesday - but hope to catch it if shown later (Chicago seems to be having a showing in late November).  

I will trust you on how Smith performed - the preview clips made it look to me like she was trying to hard to imitate Fanny Brice, rather than play Fanny Brice.  

But, the version in the cinema was not filmed at Menier.  It was, I believe, filmed in Manchester on the post-Menier tour.  

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 4:33pm

I loved Sheridan in the production when I saw it in 2016.  I look forward to seeing it again in the broadcast.  The only real complaint I had about the production was including Temporary Arrangement.  The number really doesn't add anything and it was only weakened by the staging and choreography.  I was surprised they decided to keep it.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 4:40pm

I loved this when I saw it in London in 2016. It was my first day ever in London and this my introduction to London theater. I was also operating on only 30 minutes of sleep from the plane yet was totally enchanted with this production. I did see it after Sheridan had stepped out of the show. Natasha Barnes was my Fanny and she was phenomenal. Couldn’t make it to the cinema last night (lots of work air travel lately including yesterday which means when my plane landed yesterday, I went directly home and passed out in bed).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 4:46pm

I live on Long Island. The closest place that was showing it was in CT. It'll get here eventually.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 6:05pm

Where did you watch it at, Vernon? I saw it in Glendale, CA and the theater had a decent amount of people in it. I thought Sheridan was great. I have never seen the movie but after seeing Sheridan, I couldn't imagine Barbra in the role (though I'm sure she was fantastic in it). Sheridan made me think of Melissa McCarthy while someone in the audience blurted out that the mom was Harvey Fierstein in drag. 

[freewilma]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 6:15pm

It didn't seem to be showing very widely  Only offered at one theater in the DC area.  Hopefully it will come around again or to BroadwayHD / Netflix / PBS before too long.  

[inception]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 12:25am

Saw this tonight. I've seen a couple productions in the past, most recently in 2014 the Seattle area Village Theater's. I'm surprised this did so well, as I really hated this production.
It looked cheap and for me she completely fails to capture Fanny Brice. A short dumpy British chipmunk with a button nose chirping through these songs is NOT Fanny Brice. We unfortunately now just have a bunch of shorts Brice filmed when she was older, but if you watch any of those you appreciate how much Streisand did indeed channel the real Brice. This was painful to watch.

[bk]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 4:43am

Wildcard said: "Where did you watch it at, Vernon? I saw it in Glendale, CA and the theater had a decent amount of people in it. I thought Sheridan was great. I have never seen the movie but after seeing Sheridan, I couldn't imagine Barbra in the role (though I'm sure she was fantastic in it). Sheridan made me think of Melissa McCarthy while someone in the audience blurted out that the mom was Harvey Fierstein in drag."

You've never seen the movie yet you can't imagine Barbra Streisand, the person who made the show and film the hit it was, in the role.  I just scratch my head.  It's not hard to see the movie, you know.  They have this thing called DVD and Blu-ray.

 

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 8:16am

Wildcard - saw it at the iPic in Westwood

 

[CallMeAl2]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 11:48am

I went to the showing in Pittsburgh, but the hard drive crashed and they couldn't show the movie. Bummer. I hope they schedule another release.

[bk]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 2:32pm

VernonGersch said: "Wildcard - saw it at the iPic in Westwood

"

iPic?  What is an iPic?  Seriously.  

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 3:08pm

Barbra is a hard act to follow- can anyone but her really do it justice?

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 3:11pm

VernonGersch said: "Wildcard - saw it at the iPic in Westwood

"

iPic?  What is an iPic?  Seriously

It's a theatre in Westwood located at 10840 Wilshire Blvd near Westwood Blvd

[choitoy]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 3:17pm

To BK, iPic is a chain of movie theatres that have luxury seats where they serve food to you during the movie.

I had plans to see the presentation at my local iPic (I think one of four or five cinemas that were showing it my area in Seattle), but after watching a few clips of it that they put up on Facebook, I decided not to go.  The accents bothered me a bit (and I'm usually pretty lenient), and (not to pass judgement on Ms. Smith personally), they seemed to make her look too dumpy with the clothing and wig choices.  And working in the medical field, looking at her face I wonder if shes been using too much prednisone, as her face looks different than in the promo pictures for "Funny Girl" (and from her "Legally Blonde" days) (again not passing judgement on her, just noting that she looks different to me from what I have seen of her prior to seeing the clips).

 

I also saw that 2014 Village Theatre production, and I liked Sarah Rose Davis' take on Fanny, but this does seem like a show that entirely hinges on the actress' performance.

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 4:57pm

choitoy said: "To BK, iPic is a chain of movie theatres that have luxury seats where they serve food to you during the movie.

I had plans to see the presentation at my local iPic (I think one of four or five cinemas that were showing it my area in Seattle), but after watching a few clips of it that they put up on Facebook, I decided not to go. The accents bothered me a bit (and I'm usually pretty lenient), and (not to pass judgement on Ms. Smith personally), they seemed to make her look too dumpy with the clothing and wig choices. And working in the medical field, looking at her face I wonder if shes been using too muchprednisone, as her face looks different than in the promo pictures for "Funny Girl" (and from her "Legally Blonde" days) (again not passing judgement on her, just noting that she looks different to me from what I have seen of her prior to seeing the clips).



I also saw that 2014 Village Theatre production, and I liked Sarah Rose Davis' take on Fanny, but this does seem like a show that entirely hinges on the actress' performance."

Jesus! I didn't go see Funny Girl because the actresses face looked puffy. 

You obviously don't know the book of Funny Girl if you think she looked 'too dumpy' that's a major plot point and even one of the opening numbers. 

Sheridan gave a great performance I was lucky to see live twice. 

[choitoy]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 10:03pm

I was just mentioning that her face looks fuller, I truly didn’t mean to imply that she wasn’t still attractive (though Fanny Brice is concidered unconventionally attractive as mentioned by the mother character in “If a Girl Isn’t Pretty”). It’s just she looks different than what I see of her from before and I found it a little distracting, like when Jennifer Grey got her nose job. I know she was suffering from a few personal and family issues during the run, and I do wish her the best.

[Skip23]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 10:11pm

The clips looked horrific. How could she be any good?

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 6:13am

Skip23 said: "The clips looked horrific. How could she be any good? "

 

Midler sounded terrible on the Hello Dolly recording! How could she be any good?

Because it’s theatre darling, the very essence of live performance, stage presence. 

Why do people think there’s only one way to play a role? It’s so reductive. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 6:39am

Gizmo6 said: "Skip23 said: "The clips looked horrific. How could she be any good? "



Midler sounded terrible on the Hello Dolly recording! How could she be any good?

Because it’s theatre darling, the very essence of live performance, stage presence.

Why do people think there’s only one way to play a role? It’s so reductive."

Midler sounded terrible on the Hello Dolly recording? That’s news to me! 
 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 5:35pm

"The clips looked horrific. How could she be any good?"

Do you always think clips are representative of a full show and performance? Is that how you judge all performances? From clips?

[Skip23]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 5:45pm

Mister Matt said: ""The clips looked horrific. How could she be any good?"

Do you always think clips are representative of a full show and performance? Is that how you judge all performances? From clips?"

 

There are many clips here. Answer:  Yes!

[IloveNYC2]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 7:41pm

Would Annleigh Ashford be any good?

 

[IloveNYC2]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 7:41pm

Would Annleigh Ashford be any good?

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/29/18 at 2:20am

IloveNYC2 said: "Would Annleigh Ashford be any good?

"

Good is not the issue. Lauren Ambrose was announced as Fanny for the revival that didn't happen several years ago.  Ambrose in Funny Girl Cancelled  I recall concern that Ambrose wouldn't sell tickets.  

I've seen the Lillias White clip from the 2002 Actors Equity Concert but no others:  How many Fanny Brices do you need?

Then there's this future Tony Winner as Fanny Brice in High School:  "Who Are You Now?"