PipingHotPiccolo said: "Phillyguy said: "
I'm not quite sure if I understand your point. This is a musical about a comedienne who achieved stardom. This is not a comedy show. It's not about who could deliver better humor or land a better joke.
You need a leading actress who makes you believe she is the greatest star. Regardless of what people think of her, she is an excellent actress and an incredible singer. She takes you into her (Fanny's) life and make you believe that you are part of her journey. You feel happy when she triumphs and cry when she fails. That's why she succeeds in this role.
People have complained about the book, staging, lighting, the second act, but when I saw her on that stage, none of it seemed to matter because you are so focused on her and her life. I was actually surprised at how fast time flew by during the performance."
I cant dispute any of that- I didnt see her live. I've only seen clips online, which have confirmed that as talented as Lea Michele is, she isnt a naturally kooky or witty comedienne. To each their own--- I thought Beanie did a fine job with the comedy and would gently remind everyone that this was actually the consensus on these boards and amongst the critics before everyone went nuts with The Narrative.
I am not disagreeing that the show needs a Star that radiates Stardrom to work-- or that Lea is doing that better than Beanie did. I'm just struggling to take seriously the suggestion that Lea Michele is doing a better job with the comedy they amped up for Beanie, than Beanie did. I say this while completely recognizing that Lea Michele made the show a hit, and sings the hell out of the role, and is according to all who have seen her, fantastic. But that probably isnt enough for the usual crowed, so, cue the chorus."
Here's the chorus - Fanny Brice wasn't "naturally kooky" - she was a serious person/performer, who was incredibly driven with a sharp mind and a sharp tongue and honed her career (and private life) from that. Her daughter said she was actually very quiet in her private life. That's the difference between Beanie and Lea - Lea is acting a complete character, Beanie had no idea who the character was beyond the jokes. It was really a shame that the producers put her in that position. Especially since they had a standby and an understudy who knew and could act the character better than their lead. When Lea came on board, they got the whole package. You really have to see the entire show from beginning to end. The clips are great, but the scene work and overall character development is what makes Lea special and why we keep talking about her.
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