FUNNY GIRL on Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 53

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 11:25am

BrodyFosse123 said: "Here are the scheduled dates for Beanie’s standby: Julie Benko.

"

Can see add Saturday May 14, 2022 at 8PM to this list?

[je veux te voir]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 11:27am

BalconyClub said: "It’s good enough. Fanny Brice is a comedy act, not a singing act. The show is called Funny Girl, not Singing Girl."

awfully perfect timing to drop Barbra singing "Being Good Isn't Good Enough"...a song, might I add, that Beanie would also never be able to sing. :/
 

 

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 11:33am

Lumiere2 said:
Holy wow Jared Grimes - he deserves to win a Tony Award. His singing, dancing, acting, comedy, showmanship - and his DANCING. All of it. He's the best part of the whole show.

While I agree that Jared Grimes is a great talent and phenomenal tap dancer there is simply not enough to the part to warrant a Tony nomination let alone a win. If “Eddie Ryan” is the best part of Funny Girl then the production has major problems. 

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 11:43am

Bill Snibson said: "Lumiere2 said:
Holy wow Jared Grimes - he deserves to win a Tony Award. His singing, dancing, acting, comedy, showmanship - and his DANCING. All of it. He's the best part of the whole show.

While I agree that Jared Grimes is a great talent and phenomenal tap dancer there is simply not enough to the part to warrant a Tony nomination let alone a win. If “Eddie Ryan” is the best part of Funny Girlthen the production has major problems.

"

Completely agree. 

[DAME]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 12:04pm

FindingNamo said: "¿Dónde está P. Murin? ¡Envía soporte Patti, por favor!"

Escondida.

[fbueller]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 12:14pm

ljay889 said: "Correct. Beanie is dead in the eyes during every song. No feeling, no passion, no command of the songs."

#NotMyFunnyGirl

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 1:26pm

I have been one to believe that some (not all) of you take unnecessary pleasure in attempting to rip Beanie apart and seem to spend all of your time coming back to this thread to constantly trash talk this show. 

BUT, I do agree that it's silly to suggest that Funny Girl isn't about songs. It's a mid-tier show that was elevated to a classic by great songs and an INCREDIBLE performance. 

[DAME]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 1:41pm

jkcohen626 said: "I have been one to believe that some (not all) of you take unnecessary pleasure in attempting to rip Beanie apart and seem to spend all of your time coming back to this thread to constantly trash talk this show.

BUT, I do agree that it's silly to suggest that Funny Girl isn't about songs. It's a mid-tier show that was elevated to a classic by great songs and an INCREDIBLE performance."

Well.. there is some sadness on my part on letting myself spend close to $200.00 a ticket and being so disappointed.  There is some sadness  in me of waiting years and years for a first class revival of this show and being assaulted with this casting choice... and then not having it justified.  There is some sadness in me of being part of a twilight zone kind of audience that was hooting and hollering at everything on that stage.. that made me feel old and out of sync.  Is it me?    So maybe I am guilty of getting some pleasure here .. but I am going to take a break.. at least till the reviews come out.  

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 1:45pm

if people are paying upwards of $200 for a Broadway show then mediocrity is not what should be served.

And those that did and felt cheated have every right to express their displeasure. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 1:50pm

CarlosAlberto said: "if people are paying upwards of $200 for a Broadway show then mediocrity is not what should be served.

And those that did and felt cheated have every right to express their displeasure."

What should be served is whatever people want to pay to see. And audiences are clearly loving this production. Even the people who are writing negative responses acknowledge that. 

I myself think this revival looks pretty bad. I also think the show isn't going to open or close based on the standards held by the people posting here. The constant obsession with badmouthing this production is childish.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:01pm

joevitus said: "CarlosAlberto said: "if people are paying upwards of $200 for a Broadway show then mediocrity is not what should be served.

And those that did and felt cheated have every right to express their displeasure."

What should be served is whatever people want to pay to see. And audiences are clearly loving this production. Even the people who are writing negative responses acknowledge that.

I myself think this revival looks pretty bad. I also think the show isn't going to open or close based on the standards held by the people posting here. The constant obsession with badmouthing this production is childish."

I do not think it is childish at all.  It is a highly anticipated revival that opens this weekend.  People spend their hard earned money and get emotionally involved one way or the other.  Social media and chat rooms is a way for them to praise or vent.   As much or as little as they want.   People are actually being nice here.  You should read some of the FB theater groups.  

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:09pm

joevitus said: "The constant obsession with badmouthing this production is childish."

 

This is a chat board.  People are chatting.  Nothing "childish" about expressing opinions.  Freedom of speech, and all that.

 

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:11pm

Okay, so which Beanie hater in this thread has submitted the blind item to Deuxmoi about her vocal abilities?! Money on it being someone here lol! 

I haven’t seen Beanie in the show but I did see Funny Girl with Sheridan, and she was fabulous despite having a mediocre (relatively) voice, so I don’t necessarily think it’s a requisite for this show and it’s material that Fanny is an absolute top tier singer.

I still think Lea Michele would have been amazing in this role, and I have no shame in saying that. I’m not a particular Lea fan but she has the voice and acting skills imo - she had really good comic chops in Glee.  
 

 

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:37pm

WestEndGal said: 

I still think Lea Michele would have been amazing in this role, and I have no shame in saying that. I’m not a particular Lea fan but she has the voice and acting skills imo - she had really good comic chops in Glee.


Do people not understand how passe Lea Michele is? She was an "IT GIRL" ten years ago. Mounting an expensive production around a has been would be a waste of time. 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:39pm

Holy wow Jared Grimes - he deserves to win a Tony Award. His singing, dancing, acting, comedy, showmanship - and his DANCING. All of it. He's the best part of the whole show.

''While I agree that Jared Grimes is a great talent and phenomenal tap dancer there is simply not enough to thie part to warrant a Tony nomination let alone a win. If “Eddie Ryan” is the best part of Funny Girl, the production has major problems. ''

I haven't had the chance to catch this revival, and I have no idea how it's been staged or revised to showcase Grimes, but for the record, Danny Meehan, who originated the role of Eddie, got a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in 1964.

Updated On: 4/21/22 at 02:39 PM

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:42pm

^^Wayman, check your PM...

[soxboy22]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:46pm

Well.. there is some sadness on my part on letting myself spend close to $200.00 a ticket and being so disappointed. There is some sadness in me of waiting years and years for a first class revival of this show and being assaulted with this casting choice... and then not having it justified. There is some sadness in me of being part of a twilight zone kind of audience that was hooting and hollering at everything on that stage.. that made me feel old and out of sync. Is it me? So maybe I am guilty of getting some pleasure here .. but I am going to take a break.. at least till the reviews come out."

This speaks for me as far as sadness, but it will turn to anger if this is proven to be a vanity production.  I suppose there’s nothing illegal if it were, but if you don’t deliver the goods on a respectably high, Broadway level, I feel conned.

 

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 2:55pm

WestEndGal said: "Okay, so which Beanie hater in this thread has submitted the blind item to Deuxmoi about her vocal abilities?! Money on it being someone here lol!

I haven’t seen Beanie in the show but I did see Funny Girl with Sheridan, and she was fabulous despite having a mediocre (relatively) voice, so I don’t necessarily think it’s a requisite for this show and it’s material that Fanny is an absolute top tier singer.

I still think Lea Michele would have been amazing in this role, and I have no shame in saying that. I’m not a particular Lea fan but she has the voice and acting skills imo - she had really good comic chops in Glee.


"

LOL I said the same thing about that Deuxmoi post. But whoever wrote it isn't exactly wrong... 

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:17pm

Bwaygurl2 said: "WestEndGal said:

I still think Lea Michele would have been amazing in this role, and I have no shame in saying that. I’m not a particular Lea fan but she has the voice and acting skills imo - she had really good comic chops in Glee.


Do people not understand how passe Lea Michele is? She was an "IT GIRL" ten years ago. Mounting an expensive production around a has been would be a waste of time."

I don’t think she’s a has been, and if she were to return to Broadway then it would elicit a lot of interest - at least no less so than Beanie! For sure her acting career seems to have dried up these past few years (and maybe that’s as a result of her reputation idk) but she’s still seems to have a large following. Sure, much of it is to do with the love of Spring Awakening itself, but Lea’s post about the  SA docs has over 300k insta likes. That’s a lot of theater fans excited about smtg she’s involved with. All that said, I wasn’t even suggesting it as if it was a possibility - I just think she would be good in the role! 

 

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:18pm

Lunalaaaaaaaa said: "WestEndGal said: "Okay, so which Beanie hater in this thread has submitted the blind item to Deuxmoi about her vocal abilities?! Money on it being someone here lol!

I haven’t seen Beanie in the show but I did see Funny Girl with Sheridan, and she was fabulous despite having a mediocre (relatively) voice, so I don’t necessarily think it’s a requisite for this show and it’s material that Fanny is an absolute top tier singer.

I still think Lea Michele would have been amazing in this role, and I have no shame in saying that. I’m not a particular Lea fan but she has the voice and acting skills imo - she had really good comic chops in Glee.


"

LOL I said the same thing about that Deuxmoi post. But whoever wrote it isn't exactly wrong..."

Haha, maybe! I did think it was a bit mean spirited for someone to send that in as a blind item though! 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:27pm

I only paid 40/ticket....and I was still disappointed. And much of that disappointment was in Beanie. She showed little character, there was no connection playing between scenes,  no emotion /acting in her songs. While I do think her singing wasn't stellar, if her acting was good, I might have overlooked that.

 

For someone obsessed with this show since she was 3, she clearly doesn't understand it. (Or cant project whats she's feeling/thinking).

As for the audiences, most of us realize people will often like a show simply because they paid a lot of money for it. A standing o means very little anymore.

[Lorna Joe]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:44pm

DAME said: "jkcohen626 said: "I have been one to believe that some (not all) of you take unnecessary pleasure in attempting to rip Beanie apart and seem to spend all of your time coming back to this thread to constantly trash talk this show.

BUT, I do agree that it's silly to suggest that Funny Girl isn't about songs. It's a mid-tier show that was elevated to a classic by great songs and an INCREDIBLE performance."

Well.. there is some sadness on my part on letting myself spend close to $200.00 a ticket and being so disappointed. There is some sadness in me of waiting years and years for a first class revival of this show and being assaulted with this casting choice... and then not having it justified. There is some sadness in me of being part of a twilight zone kind of audience that was hooting and hollering at everything on that stage.. that made me feel old and out of sync. Is it me? So maybe I am guilty of getting some pleasure here .. but I am going to take a break.. at least till the reviews come out."

 

This was not a "casting choice" in my opinion. I think the revival was produced for Beanie Feldstein. There were no auditions that I heard of. It's her show, created for her. 

The audience is not in a "twilight zone."  They are enjoying the show from a different point of view: nostalgia and memories.

So I do think it is you. Your perspective and expectations are coming from a totally different place. Think of it this way: you visit a city you traveled to 50 years ago. Of course, things will be different: the restaurant you ate in has food that is not as good, the park has flowers that are not as colorful, the hotel is now run down.... but the memories and just being there make the experience a happy one, not a depressing one. 

It's the lens through which you decide to view the event: happy or depressed. This FUNNY GIRL is apparently being enjoyed by many of those who are celebrating the songs they remember and the story they know instead of nitpicking as professionals are. 

If you cannot accept this, be disappointed. is the glass half full or half empty. THIS audience is filled with people who see the glass as full.... and they are thrilled. 

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:53pm

Creating nostalgia and memories is all fine and good, but it's no excuse for casting someone who can't sing the songs. Audiences should be able to experience nostalgia AND memories while at the same time seeing a truly great performance from someone who can sing the songs and deliver.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 4:58pm

I thought the crowd at yesterday's matinee was reserved compared to reports from other performances. It was definitely skewed older, and that probably helped, but the only screaming I heard downstairs was from of group of women in the mid-center orchestra. Other than that, I thought it was polite applause for most of the songs, with a more enthusiastic response at the expected parts, such as for Jared Grimes' tap number, after "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" and "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat," and at the end of Act 1. I was expecting some clapping at the beginning of "People," but there was none, and there was only a smattering at the beginning of "Parade." 

Updated On: 4/21/22 at 04:58 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/21/22 at 5:00pm

Thanks Be-, er, Lorna Joe. But, people can have whatever opinion they want. Thanks for joining BWW to state things in only this thread. You take care. 

Updated On: 4/21/22 at 05:00 PM