So, as many know, I saw the show last night (Monday March 28 - their 2nd preview). Having heard an audio of the very first audience performance/preview, I can say it wasn't the same performance, which as expected, means this revival WILL get better in the following weeks. The cast first-and-foremost, are fantastic actors so the book scenes land as do the jokes. Jane Lynch will be getting a Tony Award for this. She isn't spared and the Act 2 revisions are a gift for her. A toss-away song for me: "Who Taught Her Everything She Knows" is a standout now thanks to her and Jared Grimes. Jared's tap moments are presented vaudevillian style so he plays with the audience, which adds that theatrical magic. Don't know what notes Beanie was given on Sunday (their first day off), but her comic "Cornet Man" worked and I lost my s** with her "His Love Makes Me Beautiful." She completely made it her own and her playful asides with the front row at the end of the number (she sitting on stage in front of the curtain) shows what FUNNY GIRL will become in the coming weeks. Holy, sh** - she was hilarious.
Now for the physical production. Yes, the curtain is indeed painted but it IS (as I assumed) a scrim and is how Beanie's entrance is revealed. The set design feels a bit claustrophic and narrow, but its the show's visual DNA and I loved it. The 2 staircases on each side are used effectively - stage entrances, establishing terraces, etc. so those of you sitting in the rear orchestra underneath the mezzanine overhang will miss a few minutes of things when actors are at the top. The "Henry Street" number was gorgeously done visually - Chinese lamps, huge hung hand-written banner, people leaning over the staircase like fire escapes, etc . There is a turntable center stage so set pieces come in that way and there is full brick wall when center stage is "closed", so it creates a perfect background. The Long Island mansion and its floor to ceiling window was effectively done with the view outside of the window establishing the change of seasons. Also, Beanie's Act 2 stage entrance I will NOT spoil. The orchestra, which sounds GLORIOUS, is under the stage, hence that circular opening for the conductor. They use the original 1964 Broadway orchestrations for the Overture - the rest is new orchestrations by Chris Walker. Still done like a traditional Broadway musical and nothing contemporary.
Now, many on here have read my assessment of Beanie's voice and that head voice she has to use to sing the score. No bueno. This needs to be fixed as there is NO way around it and it is not a great sound on her. When she's singing her comic numbers, she's fine as she's doing a character voice (even "Cornet Man" works), but when she's singing those classic songs like "People", ouch. Painful. She DOES have a strong voice so her last notes are good but the keys are not in her comfort zone and this needs to be fixed. Audiences right now are being forgiving but they need to fix this. Everyone else is fantastic vocally, so nothing to nick-pick. Jane Lynch included.
Thrilled "Temporary Arrangement" has been included and Ramin Karimloo kills it. Does it become a dance number? You bet'cha, and boy is it fabulous. I LOVED IT! He's so great as Nick Arnstein that this dancing addition just adds to how great he is. He creates his own Nick Arnstein and doesn't play it like Omar Sharif's or as we normally would expect. Yes, Beanie taps with the dancers in "Rat-Tat-Tat", and it was a nice unexpected addition. Also, there is a visually beautiful FOLLIES moment towards the end where we see the "ghosts" of Fanny's past with the staircases, landings, turntable all in full effect.
For those of you who are planning on seeing this revival in the next few weeks or months, you are definitely in for a treat. Beanie carries the show so she'll definitely get better once she gets more performances under her belt. If she's holding her own right now with only 2 performances, no need to question she's not getting better. I'll definitely be back in a few months as I know that performance will be a completely different performance from the one I saw last night. Come on creative team, you guys need to reconfigure the score FOR Beanie. She CAN sing it, just not in these keys. Her "Music That Makes Me Dance" was torture seeing her TRYING to make it sound good. Oh, and please cut those trance-like spins she does during the music interlude portion of the song. No bueno.
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