FUNNY GIRL on Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 65

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:07am

I don’t actually believe this show can work if the “star is phenomenal” 

the star- was Barbra Streisand. She sold it cause she was lightning in a bottle. 

it doesn’t even feel like it invests in making this really about Fanny Brice which if that was the original intention then you could probably have an interesting show. But it’s so old school in how it was brought to inception

They should’ve started this at New York City Encores so they could go “ohhh, this is kinda a flop that has been held up simply because of Barbra’s iconic turn” before investing in a Broadway production.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:22am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I don’t actually believe this show can work if the “star is phenomenal”

the star- was Barbra Streisand. She sold it cause she was lightning in a bottle.

it doesn’t even feel like it invests in making this really about Fanny Brice which if that was the original intention then you could probably have an interesting show. But it’s so old school in how it was brought to inception

They should’ve started this at New York City Encores so they could go “ohhh, this is kinda a flop that has been held up simply because of Barbra’s iconic turn” before investing in a Broadway production."

Yes, Babs was lightning in a bottle, but there are many talents whose charisma and vocals are off the charts. The only way to truly test the show is to seek out a comedic triple threat. If you put in a "good" Fanny it will never work. Also, as some reviews pointed out you need a truly solid actress. This is also a dark and sad story. It's not all mugging. An actress with a depth to find humor out of pathos. That is a tall order. 

I think Kathryn Hahn, Idina Menzel, Stephanie J Block are people who come to mind as to the type of talent who could sell this show. 

 

 

[Duckie4]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:39am

"I think Kathryn Hahn, Idina Menzel, Stephanie J Block are people who come to mind as to the type of talent who could sell this show."


I think Jessie Mueller would have been a good Fanny Brice. 

 

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 09:39 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:40am

Gotta love the folks who are like, “no, the reviews are mixed because The Kalamazoo Weekly and MissTheaterFan.Geocities.com both loved it!” 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 9:49am

I, admittedly, was not thrilled with Beanie's casting from the get go. HOWEVER, there was a part of me that thought that she must have something extremely special and would be a delightful surprise to all and exceed our expectations. Why else would the producers and creatives choose her to lead the first every Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL? I think that in order for a revival of this show to work and be successful, you need a star who will exceed expectations, and what we got - and the reviews attest to this - is someone who is barely meeting expectations. Which is not to say she's terrible, but she's merely serviceable at best.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:11am

Duckie4 said: ""Gleeful"? Really? "

Yes really.

The reviews aren't good (mixed to negative for the most part), Beanie can't sing most of this role, and the book still sucks. The vast majority of people here aren't denying this. There is a small, but vocal, minority that is.

The vast majority of people are also here to thoughtfully discuss, provide reasonable praise and reasonable criticism of the show, and, for many, voice legitimate frustrations. However, there is also a small, but vocal minority of people that are just plain creepy at this point. They seem to spend all their time coming back to this thread to take glee in trashing this show. Many of them haven't seen this show, some have been open about the fact that they have tickets to see Julie Benko or aren't seeing it at all. I just don't get it. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:13am

Kad just spoke truth to board. Like it or not, we’d be wise to listen. The respected critics provide a decided consensus. Anyone touting the Green Times appraisal should reread it, as I did when I got my print edition this morning. It’s one of the most strained and baffling opening night analyses I’ve read in 40 years. That bizarre lede and closer. He also says Feldstein’s voice is fine then ultimately indicts performances of her biggest numbers as "merely loud renditions of the big three hits." I guess we’ll see “She is good*” in some ad, but it sounds like a high school forensics tournament judge, not a critic from the paper of record. 

*But also: "Her voice, though solid and sweet and clear, is not well suited to the music, and you feel her working as hard as she can to power through the gap. But working hard at what should be naturally extraordinary is not in Fanny’s DNA..."

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 10:13 AM

[Duckie4]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:19am

jkcohen626 said: "Duckie4 said: ""Gleeful"? Really?"

Yes really.

The reviews aren't good (mixed to negative for the most part), Beanie can't sing most of this role, and the book still sucks. The vast majority of people here aren't denying this. There is a small, but vocal, minority that is.

The vast majority of people are also here to thoughtfully discuss, provide reasonable praise and reasonable criticism of the show, and, for many, voice legitimate frustrations.However, there is also a small, but vocal minority of people that are just plain creepy at this point. They seem to spend all their time coming back to this thread to take glee in trashing this show. Many of them haven't seen this show, some have been open about the fact that they have tickets to see Julie Benko or aren't seeing it at all. I just don't get it."

Ah, yes, the vocal minority on both sides. Such will always be the case. Thank you for clearing up what you meant. 

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:20am

Remember when they announced a Lauren Ambrose Funny Girl Revival and it- never happened?

one has to wonder what that would’ve been like.

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:21am

bwayphreak234 said: "It always cracks me up when people cite Wicked when a show they love doesn't get the reviews they had hoped for. Wicked surviving its less that stellar reviews is not a norm or rule. It is an exception, and a huge one at that."

Tell that to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:24am

Bettyboy72 said: "songanddanceman2 said: "It's sad how gleeful people are about the negative response to the leading lady, yet seem to be missing the fact that critics really didn't like the SHOW. This is a bad musical with a bad book, and critics rightfully called it out. So yes, the leading lady may not be perfect, but the show itself is a naff dated show.

I hope shows like this don't clutter up Broadway again."

I don't think people are gleeful. What some people are is validated. You are dealing with theatre fans who want and demand appropriate talent on the stage. She was miscast and the production was called out on it. And the reason the show itself is standing out like a sore thumb is because the lead was miscast."

A lot of bitchiness and shade last night. Some people were LOVING the bad reviews. That kind of spite is sad. And I say this as one who has said, more than once, I don't like what I've seen of Beanie's performance and doubt I would enjoy the show. But the toxic personalities on display last night tell their own tale.

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:40am

I, like others, have waited patiently for decades to see "Funny Girl" revived on the Broadway stage.  And this is what we get.  I feel cheated of what might have been, could have been.  And that kinda pisses me off.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:53am

Loving the reviews because so many were accurate.   

Had she nailed the performance, we'd be pissed if these were the reviews and would have celebrated raves. 

 

[David10086]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 10:57am

Somewhere in Manhattan this morning, Rosie O'Donnell and Lady Gaga are having breakfast together,  reading these reviews.  And Rosie is telling Gaga:  "We shoulda done this revival like I said we would three years ago..."

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:01am

I don't think Michael Mayer is being given enough blame here, because he has now miscast Fanny twice (though now in hindsight the reception to Sheridan Smith looks pretty good). That frankly does not give me a ton of hope for Benko or for the assumed tour.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:14am

joevitus said: "Bettyboy72 said: "songanddanceman2 said: "It's sad how gleeful people are about the negative response to the leading lady, yet seem to be missing the fact that critics really didn't like the SHOW. This is a bad musical with a bad book, and critics rightfully called it out. So yes, the leading lady may not be perfect, but the show itself is a naff dated show.

I hope shows like this don't clutter up Broadway again."

I don't think people are gleeful. What some people are is validated. You are dealing with theatre fans who want and demand appropriate talent on the stage. She was miscast and the production was called out on it. And the reason the show itself is standing out like a sore thumb is because the lead was miscast."

A lot of bitchiness and shade last night. Some people were LOVING the bad reviews. That kind of spite is sad. And I say this as one who has said, more than once, I don't like what I've seen of Beanie's performance and doubt I would enjoy the show. But the toxic personalities on display last night tell their own tale."

I don't think negativity is unjustified here. If Broadway productions charge hundreds of dollars to see the most skilled performers and the same amount here for someone with talent in the making, there is a reason to be bitter. 

I think it is more toxic to push this girl onto the musical theater mecca with no try out or safety net. If the producers think audiences and critics would just consume this because of her cute dimples after last time we got one of the greatest performers of all time in the same show, we also have the right react to this decision negatively.

[Lorna Joe]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:18am

songanddanceman2 said: "It's sad how gleeful people are about the negative response to the leading lady, yet seem to be missing the fact that critics really didn't like the SHOW. This is a bad musical with a bad book, and critics rightfully called it out. So yes, the leading lady may not be perfect, but the show itself is a naff dated show.

I am not sure who wrote this, but this comment nails it: "A lot of bitchiness and shade last night. Some people were LOVING the bad reviews. That kind of spite is sad. And I say this as one who has said, more than once, I don't like what I've seen of Beanie's performance and doubt I would enjoy the show. But the toxic personalities on display last night tell their own tale."

I can rip the mask off the defensive replies. They will say they love theater and they were protecting the fact that audiences deserve better. That is a transparent lie. They were bitchy not because they demand excellence. They were toxic because that is who they are. 

Thank you for this. There is definitely a mean spirited happiness regarding the poor reviews. I hoped this show would get more positive reviews, and I bravely stood alone in my wishes and received many charientisms in replies that misconstrued my predictions and there were reactions that attempted to ridicule ME which I acknowledge was because of my position. Well, I am no lemming. And, so be it.

There is always jealousy involved when others want to see people fail. There may be many disgruntled wannabes here who are angry that fame came so easily to Beanie. I myself was at first guilty of sitting under that same umbrella but I changed because it is just as easy to hold good thoughts as it is to send out bad vibes. 
 

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 11:18 AM

[Sutton Ross]

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

I don't think people are gleeful. What some people are is validated. You are dealing with theatre fans who want and demand appropriate talent on the stage. She was miscast and the production was called out on it. And the reason the show itself is standing out like a sore thumb is because the lead was miscast."

Correct. 

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:36am

Very excited to have tickets for next Saturday.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:44am

I'll be honest, my familiarity with the show really is about those few songs, I've never seen the show, and can't remember the movie. But what a number of reviews seem to allude to is that it's actually not that great of a show, and that's why it leans so heavily on whoever is in the title role. 

[Wonkawizzer]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:49am

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 11:55am

Never mind.      

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 11:55 AM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 12:00pm

I fee like I've aged 10 years following this thread.

[Azúcar!]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 12:17pm

I’d be interested in knowing if the people that represented the show, the property...If they were in on the auditions. If they even heard the girl sing before agreeing to this.

Updated On: 4/25/22 at 12:17 PM

[joevitus]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 12:31pm

Highland Guy said: "I, like others, have waited patiently for decades to see "Funny Girl" revived on the Broadway stage. And this is what we get. I feel cheated of what might have been, could have been. And that kinda pisses me off."

That's some major league entitlement, if you ask me. No one "owes" you a revival of Funny Girl, and it was never much of a show to begin with.