FUNNY GIRL on Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 45

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/6/22 at 12:30pm

joevitus said: "dshnookie said: "https://twitter.com/jeremywest/status/1511178101849575426?s=21&t=V46tawClRmHVIQhQDLUAJQ

Two day old tweet that I’m just now seeing says:

Really a missed opportunity for Lea Michele not to sing a song from Funny Girl at #miscast22 tonight."

She's sung them all somewhere, in a desperate attempt to land a role she was never going to get..."

Lea Michele has even sung “Don’t Rain on My Parade” at the Tony Awards, let alone having a full arc about her character on GLEE being cast in a Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL.  Having her sing another FUNNY GIRL at this point is not only embarrassing but utterly pathetic.  She’s smart enough to let this FUNNY GIRL thing go, even if it were offered.  

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/6/22 at 1:57pm

ljay889 said: "Does anyone know if the PEOPLE discount code works at the box office?"

For those who are wondering, it works! I got a much better seat for the Saturday matinee than I’ve seen on Seat Geek. 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/6/22 at 9:38pm

I stopped reading the thread few days ago, are people enjoing the revival aside Beanie?

I’m at intermission and loving it, the set could be more opulent and Beanie could sing less nasal (?), but shes such a great comic actress and shes surround by a great cast that I cant Help but feel like this is indeed a very good production of a classic comedy musical

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 12:15am

I loved the revival.  Including Beanie.  My only beef was her singing the non-comedy songs.  That’s it.  I found her perfect everywhere else and her “His Love Makes Me Beautiful” was hilarious and she made it her own.  I wrote a long detailed review on here and raved about it.  I’m the one who started the idea that if they lowered the keys for her she wouldn’t have to use that horrible nasal head voice she’s using. 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 12:32am

I just arrived at my hostel and have to say I really liked the production. Its clear that they arent trying nothing new, they are honoring the show in the most classic way possible. The sets, the lightning, the choreos, all brings the feeling of watching a real classic. Having seen Hadestown at the afternoon, and this at evening, it amazes me how musical theater is diverse.
 

The show flew by, when I realized time, Beanie was already singing “Parade”. Oh boy, gave me chills to hear that song on a Broadway stage, as I said - she has a good voice, very good vocal moments and perfect acting skills for the role. I hope she gets a nom The supporting cast is tremendous, Lynch and Ramin are doing Lynch and Ramin but they are great at it. Loved to see Ramin live, what a gorgeous voice ~and body~, but I wish I could see him in roles more like Valjean and less in likes of Nick or the Anastasia one. Jared’s tap dancing may bring him to a Tony nom.

I think the moment I realized that Beanie was really good was when she was arguing with Nick and I was like “Fanny is boring now, she has to live” and then Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat happens and she bursts into joy and charisma (what a great number!) and after when she says shes good on stage but not on intermission, it kinda clicks.

Its no “Company”, but I think I would chose this over “The Music Man” in a heartbeat.

Updated On: 4/7/22 at 12:32 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 8:36am

Bigserver1 said: 

"I've heard worse performances on a Broadway stage."

A marquis quip if ever there was one. 

 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 9:11am

Fewer reports this week so far, but they seem to be moving in the other direction. Is this production, liabilities duly noted and debated, settling in, the performance(s) adjusting to push the strengths, minimize the missed opportunities?  Interesting that two posters stress that the comedy material dominates, successfully, which has already been asserted as the staging's signature. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 10:44am

In all fairness, I attended the 2nd preview having heard a full show audio of the first preview (not just the songs), and I stated on my review that the 2nd preview was vastly a different performance so its obvious the revival will get better as the weeks continue.  Most of the naysayer reviews were based on the first week of previews and as of late, folks seeing the show are saying favorable things.  I loved the revival.  Enormously.  Only Beanie’s vocals on the non-comedy songs were painful at the 2nd preview.  

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 10:53am

Seeing this Saturday. Trying to have an open mind, but the non-comedy songs are my favorite. 

[JeffDaEgg2]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 4:05pm

I tried to find the answer to this but I made it through half of this thread and saw the question but not the answer even several pages later...

I am looking at orchestra seats W or X because I'm aiming to not spend more than $97 for this show.  These are marked as full stage view but partial upper view (something along that wording, at least).  How important is the upper view for this production?  Does a lot happen up there?  I'm sure the answer is here somewhere but I can't find it, so thanks for helping out.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 4:16pm

JeffDaEgg2 said: "I tried to find the answer to this but I made it through half of this thread and saw the question but not the answer even several pages later...

I am looking at orchestra seats W or X because I'm aiming to not spend more than $97 for this show. These are marked as full stage view but partial upper view (something along that wording, at least). How important is the upper view for this production? Does a lot happen up there? I'm sure the answer is here somewhere but I can't find it, so thanks for helping out."

There's a separate seating thread, but here's a review from row X:

https://aviewfrommyseat.com/photo/161711/August+Wilson+Theatre/section-Orchestra+C/row-X/seat-104/

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 4:17pm

What a horrible seat. Jesus. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 4:22pm

The rear orchestra at the August Wilson is definitely less than ideal. I was back there for one of the times I saw Mean Girls, and a large chunk of the stage was blocked from view by the mezzanine overhang.

[Larry6417]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 7:43pm

If you want to see his show and REALLY see it, you would have to pay much more than $97.

The experience that you get is based on the ticket price.

Enough said.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 8:02pm

Larry6417 said: "If you want to see his show and REALLY see it, you would have to pay much more than $97.

The experience that you get is based on the ticket price.

Enough said."

This is nonsense. The experience you have is based on your connection to what is on stage, and that connection can be made from the last row of the balcony, if that's what you can afford. The link from A View From My Seat was a 5-star review. That person loved the seat in row X, regardless of whether or not you would sit there.

Updated On: 4/8/22 at 08:02 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 8:22pm

Correct, Larry. This is Broadway. If you want to pay basically nothing, you will get a crappy seat. Go see regional theater if you cannot afford it. Broadway is a luxury. Period. 

Updated On: 4/7/22 at 08:22 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 10:13pm

One Very Special Person: How Beanie Feldstein Found Her Way to Fanny Brice 

https://www.vogue.com/article/beanie-feldstein-funny-girl-interview?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_brand=vogue&utm_social-type=owned&utm_campaign=runway&mbid=social_facebook_vr&fbclid=IwAR03GuLhRSqCGvpsgXzNOkdOB4y5XuafsvhIFhOQTJL6fGkcZMjstQhwLUs

Updated On: 4/7/22 at 10:13 PM

[kurtal]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 11:18pm

JeffDaEgg2 said: "I tried to find the answer to this but I made it through half of this thread and saw the question but not the answer even several pages later...

I am looking at orchestra seats W or X because I'm aiming to not spend more than $97 for this show. These are marked as full stage view but partial upper view (something along that wording, at least). How important is the upper view for this production? Does a lot happen up there? I'm sure the answer is here somewhere but I can't find it, so thanks for helping out."

I saw it tonight from V and didn't miss anything from the overhang.

 

[kurtal]

Posted: 4/7/22 at 11:47pm

I saw Funny Girl tonight.  I'm going to process a lot of my thoughts as I type, so bear with me.

The Good:

Beanie's performance in Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat was my favorite part of the whole show.  
Ramin throughout
Jane Lynch's comedic timing
Jared Grimes throughout
Beanie's acting chops
The production value, costume, staging, etc
The overture! <3
The comedic elements of the book - I laughed out loud way more often than I expected to.
Body inclusivity - As a fat guy myself, it was truly wonderful to see a fat woman in a leading romantic comedy role
Beanie's acting of Don't Rain on My Parade.  The song made sense.  Her motivations were clear.  Her performance really worked.
His Love Makes Me Beautiful was a delight.

The Not So Good:

Beanie's breath support.  She has belty notes in there -- she found them for the final note in all of her big numbers.  But if you're looking for powerhouse vocals, you're not going to get them.
The transitions - Scene changes didn't do an effective enough job signaling the passing of time.
Beanie & Ramin's relationship - some of this is the fault of the book.  Nick shows up as a cipher in his first few scenes, and there's nothing to underscore what he sees in Fanny or vice versa.  Part of this is the fact that Beanie reads significantly younger than she is, and Ramin reads all of his mid-40s, making the age difference super distracting.  
Beanie's choices in her first few scenes.  There's nothing in her "audition" at Keaney's that made me believe that anyone would see potential in her.  Her comedic choices got much better throughout the show, but in that first number, she just kind of flopped around in a way that didn't feel controlled or intentional.
The Music that Makes Me Dance was a snooze fest.

So I guess this is a mixed review?  There's a lot to like about the production.  Truly.  However, if you're expecting consistently belty-powerhouse vocals from your Fanny Brice, this is not the production for you.  If you're cool without them, then you'll be fine!



 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 8:40am

Last night, I had the incredible pleasure of attending the new revival of Funny Girl and boy was I not disappointed! 

As someone who was introduced to the show from Glee, I knew I could not pass up the opportunity to see it. From the moment I heard the pre-show announcement from the great Harvey Feirstein, I knew I was going to have a great time! Yes, I do know he revised the book for today's audiences while keeping the classic story feel. The story is sad in the end, but I enjoyed how dedicated Fanny Brice was for true love!

Let's talk about the cast! First and foremost, my inner Glee fandom was jumping for joy (not literally) seeing Jane Lynch live on stage! When I found out she was cast, I was excited but also a bit concerned because I had no idea she could sing. She did not disappoint! Did I forget to mention how tall that woman is? I was very impressed with her performance and hope she does theatre more often. Next up, Ramin Karimloo as Fanny's true love Nick Arnstein was something special! Ramin really brought this character to life with his good looking charm and of course, his operatic voice! I have always wanted to see him live and his as well did not disappoint! Probably one of the best male performances I have seen on Broadway this season, besides Hugh Jackman, was Jared Grime's standout performance as the musical director Eddie Ryan! His tap solos really brought the house down! I would not be surprised if he wins some awards this season for that performance! Lastly, but certainly not least, the star herself, Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice! When I found out she was cast, I was also a bit iffy about her playing the role, but the moment that woman opened her mouth to sing, I was in absolute shock! She brought the audiences to their feet in the iconic song "Don't Rain on My Parade"! Now, no one can be better than the woman who created the role all those years ago, Barbara Streisand, but for this first revival, I think they made the right choice with casting Beanie!

Overall, I went into this show not knowing too much about it, but I left feeling like I just saw a grand masterpiece. After seeing Beanie as Fanny, I know now that it's gonna be a tough award season. Especially for the Tonys. I think it's gonna come down to either Beanie or Sutton Foster in the best actress category. Hope you all can get a ticket for this show because this one is gonna be a hot one for awhile!

[Huss417]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 10:38am

Sutton Ross said: "Correct, Larry. This is Broadway. If you want to pay basically nothing, you will get a crappy seat. Go see regional theater if you cannot afford it. Broadway is a luxury. Period."

It is sad to me that you feel the need to put someone down for what they are willing to spend/afford to see a Broadway Show. Not everyone has deep pockets to sit where you think they should.

This site is for the love of Broadway and should not come down to telling someone they should go see a regional production because of the cost of Broadway.

 

[dshnookie]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 10:53am

Huss417 said: "Sutton Ross said: "Correct, Larry. This is Broadway. If you want to pay basically nothing, you will get a crappy seat. Go see regional theater if you cannot afford it. Broadway is a luxury. Period."

It is sad to me that you feel the need to put someone down for what they are willing to spend/afford to see a Broadway Show. Not everyone has deep pockets to sit where you think they should.

This site is for the love of Broadway and should not come down to telling someone they should go see a regional production because of the cost of Broadway.

Well said. Sadly, from the displeasure I’ve had in reading some of Sutton Ross’ comments on this board, your words will probably fall on deaf ears. I’d love to be proven wrong. 

[White_Lotus]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 10:57am

Huss417 said: "Sutton Ross said: "Correct, Larry. This is Broadway. If you want to pay basically nothing, you will get a crappy seat. Go see regional theater if you cannot afford it. Broadway is a luxury. Period."

It is sad to me that you feel the need to put someone down for what they are willing to spend/afford to see a Broadway Show. Not everyone has deep pockets to sit where you think they should.

This site is for the love of Broadway and should not come down to telling someone they should go see a regional production because of the cost of Broadway."

 

there was no need for this kind of a response - it comes off as entitled.

sadly, many feel empowered to be rude on social media shielded by the anonymity of a screen name + avatar.

anyone, regardless of their financial status should have the opportunity to enjoy live theater - including on Broadway. 

if one looks hard enough there are options for those with a more modest income. 

I myself do not have disposable income, but I do get to enjoy theater on or off broadway.

this should not be looked upon as an unattainable privilege. 

 

Updated On: 4/9/22 at 10:57 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 11:16am

Dylan Smith4 - thank you for sharing your review but you lost me at: GLEE, calling Eddie Ryan a musical director (he’s a hoofer-turned-choreographer), and most jarring: Barbara Streisand (it’s BARBRA, not Barbara). And no, Beanie may get a Tony Award nomination (those awards politics), but has zero shot in taking it home.  I loved the revival enormously, but one does need to keep realistic things in perspective.  A close friend of mine is an Oscar nominated actress.  Do I think she’s one of the best actresses around?  Hell no.  I don’t even see everything she does.  Is she talented?  Beyond talented.  But come on. One needs to keep reality in perspective here. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/9/22 at 5:53pm

Saw the matinee today. I have such mixed thoughts on what I saw. I really tried going in with an open mind regarding Beanie, I really did. But….. 

Let’s start with the good. Jane Lynch is a star. She has perfect delivery and comedic timing, and in a season without Patti LuPone, she’d be a strong Tony contender. She doesn’t get much to sing, but she knows how to deliver a song, she has musicality in her bones….unlike some. More on that later. 

Ramin is everything you’d want in this role. It’s hard to keep your eyes off him, he’s so magnetic. He’s charming, commanding, and sings like a dream. The only issue is that Nick just isn’t a well written character, and it’s hard to care about him, but Ramin is doing everything he possibly can with what he’s given. “Temporary Arrangement” a mediocre song practically brought the house down with his delivery. THAT’s how you sell a number. 
 

Jared Grimes is a gifted performer, and his tapping is sensational. Unfortunately, his is another case of not having a well written character, but he does make the most with what he’s given. 

I liked most of the sets and the lighting was well done. The costumes were a little dingy looking, nothing spectacular. 
The orchestra is wonderful and sounds fuller than what it really is. Chris Walker’s orchestrations are great, and most arrangements are good with one glaring exception. What they did to “The Music That Makes Me Dance” is a travesty. What a horrid arrangement. Dropping the torch song style of the number ruined it, but maybe that’s due to Beanie’s limited skills as a singer and interpreter of song. I’m not sure how the London arrangement sounded.

Now to the unfortunate aspect sinking this revival. Beanie just doesn’t have it. There are some signs of promise but they quickly fade away as the performance progresses. To some good points, her pitch and breath control has improved since the first preview clip. And yes, she does a good job with the comedic numbers. But who the heck is seeing Funny Girl for the lesser known comedic numbers? 
The main issue is she just doesn’t have musicality in her bones. It’s not natural to her. She’s not skilled in interpreting lyrics. It’s like a performance from the High School star who goes to the only singing coach in town, where all the girls sound exactly the same. She has maybe 3-4 money notes but that’s it, everything else is sung in that annoying nasal Minnie Mouse tone. 
Singing aside, she just doesn’t know how to interpret a song. When Katrina Lenk was having vocal issues early on, she still had the skill to interpret the music and make character driven choices. Beanie’s ballads are like a lead balloon because she doesn’t have the skill to sell them. It’s like she’s rushing through them to hide her musical deficiencies. She does better acting wise with both act closers, when she manages to bring some pep and passion to the songs. 
Otherwise, aside from the comedic moments, she gives a very one note performance. Even more problematic is that she and Ramin have ZERO chemistry. Zip. None. There’s literally nothing there. He tries though, he really does. 

It’s shame they went with the wrong lead, because I liked the production and most of Mayer’s direction. I’m not familiar with the original book, but I got the sense that Harvey’s revisions are directly pulled from the film. There were several moments especially in act two that were practically identical to the film. 

I would definitely see this production again with a different Fanny. Hopefully Julie Benko will succeed, as we could use a star is born moment. Beanie is a talented actress, but she just isn’t cut out for this mammoth of a role. The roaring audience was indeed having a ball though. This will be a hot ticket for a while. 


 

Updated On: 4/9/22 at 05:53 PM