FUNNY GIRL on Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 35

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 10:01am

DCS said: "Julie Benko just posted the following on her Twitter account

Uh oh. The "they added another Fanny scene and didn't tell me, then informed me I was going on" panic dreams have begun. #nightmares

 

I guess she's going on for Fanny tonight???“

 

I looked at the tweet and it reads like that was a nightmare she had last night. 

 

[DCS]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 10:03am

Thanks for pointing that out....yes, Jordan, I think you're correct.  Was just my wishful thinking that we might get a Benko Fanny performance to see what she can do with the role

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 10:04am

Already covered. Never mind.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 10:18am

Terri Klausner dreams already. Interesting share.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 10:44am

Auggie27 said: "Terri Klausner dreams already. Interesting share."

Klausner was never LuPone’s understudy, she was the matinee alternate.  Nancy Opel was LuPone’s understudy.  Klausner received favorable reviews, which LuPone was annoyed with as SHE was the headlining Eva Peron in EVITA.  Everyone assumes Klausner was LuPone’s understudy or standby.  She wasn’t.  

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:05am

ashley0139 said: "They're not comparable. Completely different types of roles, needs, casting ideas, etc. But then again I've never understood the controversy regarding Katrina. I think she's phenomenal in the role and have no issues with her voice or casting. It's not WTF to me at all."

when i suggested that Lenk was a "divisive and controversial casting choice" it had nothing to do with comparing the needs and demands of Bobbie v. Fanny,  but to how people have reacted to the casting news or actual performance. Many people like yourself and myself have liked and and even loved Lenk in the role, but a whole lot of people have reacted to her performance with not just disappointment but downright anger (see comments on this and other sites during the first months of the run). So yes, she was a divisive choice, arguably far more divisive than Beanie, as I haven't seen much support for Beanie so far.

[Skip23]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:29am

Last night I posted my thoughts on FUNNY GIRL and today the post has disappeared. If the moderators delete posts, do they ever give reasons why they do so?

[Skip23]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:29am

Duplicated. 

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:36am

Skip23 said: "Last night I posted my thoughts on FUNNY GIRL and today the post has disappeared. If the moderators delete posts, do they ever give reasons why they do so?"

Probably the racism? 

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:37am

I think the mods are being paid by Funny Girl.

I posted a snarky comment about L** M****** that was deleted because "This thread is not about L** M*******"

The mods are really getting off on their reactionary authority here and it's ruining the site. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:42am

For the most part, the mods read posts that someone has "reported".  

[kp]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:49am

If the mods are being paid by Funny Girl, they will need to give them their money back. Have you read the thread?

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 11:53am

kp said: "If the mods are being paid by Funny Girl, they will need to give them their money back. Have you read the thread?"

A few days ago, there were comments that producers might want to "get out ahead" of poor word of mouth. That no longer seems like a possibility. Everyone I know who has seen this is absolutely furious.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:18pm

^ You should check out post 476. It's supportive and absolutely hilarious. 

Skip, I'm not sure what happened to your review but you were the first person to be critical of Jared Grimes. You don't have to be impressed with his dancing skills (you would be the only one though!) but to suggest they cast him to "fill a quota" was in very poor taste and makes me sad. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:28pm

For those curious ones wanting to see how the Broadway version of FUNNY GIRL plays without Streisand, here is Australian musical theater icon Jill Perryman, who starred in the original 1966 Australian production: 

 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:29pm

Sutton Ross said: "^ You should check out post 476. It's supportive and absolutely hilarious.

Skip, I'm not sure what happened to your review but you were the first person to be critical of Jared Grimes. You don't have to be impressed with his dancing skills (you would be the only one though!) but to suggest they cast him to "fill a quota" was in very poor taste and makes me sad."

You're lecturing people on "poor taste"? That's rich. 

 

[Skip23]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:40pm

Let’s try again:

 

Saw FUNNY GIRL last night. 
Beanie’s singing is loud, very loud and occasionally soft with a fluttery vibrato. No attempt at nuance, color or warmth. Didnt go flat when I saw her. In fact, she went sharp several times. 
Her comedy is off-handed and 180 degrees away from the vaudeville style. but the audience was eating it up. 
Little sex appeal so the romance with Nick is a head scratcher. 
Jane Lynch was playing Fannie’s adopted mother. Again with off-handed joke delivery.  Vaudeville style out the window. 
Ramin comes off as slight. Not the dashing rake we’re used to.

But then not much in this revival is what we’re used to. Guess that’s what they are going for. “Not Your Mother’s Funny Girl”. 
Jared Grimes is a fine tap dancer.  Plays a sappy second banana choreographer. Wasted talent.   

 

Biggest fault of this production is that there is little charm.  This Fanny is all drive and want.  Ziegfeld wouldn’t give her a second look.  
 

Lea Michele - you’re forgiven.  

 

 

 




 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:43pm

Thanks for the second review, changing your opinion on Jared and not making quota statements which is much better for everybody. 

And your last line? Love it. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 12:58pm

So where are people finding these clips of her singing Don't Rain on My Parade during previews? The earlier popular location took it down. Can someone PM me?

[bwwLA86]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 1:12pm

I'll add Jared Grimes makes such a strong initial impression in act one and then becomes wasted for the rest of the show. Last night, he almost seemed a little checked out by the end of it. Ramin was also pretty flat for me, not having seen him in anything else or knowing much about him. He was fine but also just felt like he was hitting the beats and not much else. I wouldn't say he brought anything new, substantial, or interesting to that character.

If Funny Girl is supposed to be this supreme being of talent that succeeds even with "average looks", Beanie's interpretation lends itself more to the fact that Fanny succeeds purely on moxie. I can see how this could be different and even jarring for many of those with a huge affinity for this show. 

I did like the set/production design and lighting. I thought Lynch was great. There was one chorus boy who looked completely checked out and blank-faced, almost beyond parody. I lost my Playbill but meant to look him up. He looked miserable for some reason. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 1:19pm

Trust me, I know well the Klausner history. I saw her Eva at a Saturday matinee 6 weeks into the run. I mention her because as per the LuPone memoir, 'twas Klausner who the company seemed to be rooting for on the road during the infamous west coast tryouts. Posting her reviews in the green room and such. My reference isn't a literal standby (and I saw Opel too; friend was in the Evita company). Klausner was always ready when LuPone was indisposed on the road. And did play the evenings in both LA and SF. And I believe did play a LuPone vacation circa late summer 1980 (fuzzy memory; I saw the show again and met her afterwards). Saying "Nancy Opel dreams" wouldn't exactly resonate. But I don't think we have to further parse this. I'm up on the subject. 

[YettaTelebenda2]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 1:43pm

I am seriously baffled. With all the impeccable trained singers out there with experience in musical theater, why would the producers go with "mediocre?" Why would they leave any wiggle room for the lead's vocals to be criticized? Did they have many auditions? There are so many questions about this casting. The last thing I would imagine they would want is a "Fanny" who was not jaw dropping phenomenal. And plus is there any chemistry between this Nick and Fanny? 

I watch "I Can See Your Voice" and have heard better voices. So many very talented people struggle to get even a part in the chorus... and some have great roles handed to them on a silver platter. 

This makes me sad... not just for audiences but for Beanie. They did her no favors, if she reads any of this it has to be so hurtful.... however, I hope I am wrong and she wins a Tony. 

Last: how do I add an icon photo to my profile, it keeps telling me the file is wrong. 

[Skip23]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 1:43pm

bwwLA86 said: "If Funny Girl is supposed to be this supreme being of talent that succeeds even with "average looks", Beanie's interpretation lends itself more to the fact that Fanny succeeds purely on moxie. I can see how this could be different and even jarring for many of those with a huge affinity for this show.

I did like the set/production design and lighting. I thought Lynch was great. There was one chorus boy who looked completely checked out and blank-faced, almost beyond parody. I lost my Playbill but meant to look him up. He looked miserable for some reason."

HA!  Yes I noticed that chorus boy too. Also one of the 2 lead dancers for Rat-A-Tat-Tat was having trouble keeping up with the choreo.  Maybe the replacement?

And the whole point of FUNNY GIRL is that here is a girl who is “funny looking” (like the real Fanny Brice) but who succeeds by talent, comic skills, and her voice.  That’s the story.  If the girl isn’t that person, then it’s not a good idea to make her just a pushy broad with a loud voice - and an obnoxious laugh (Beanie’s now patented trademark-which will now be used in every show she ever does).  
 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 2:30pm

Well, they went with a non-singer in the West End too, so maybe by going with a not strong singer they're hoping people won't associate her with Babs? Sheridan got glowing reviews - I was just rereading them because I wasn't sold on her performance. 

[Skip23]

Posted: 3/31/22 at 2:36pm

Au contraire - Beanie is a VERY strong singer. But it’s all loud with no control, warmth, craft or wow. 

 

again, like my Dentist’s daughter who is the loudest singer in the Musical revues at the JCC in Boca.