kingsley88 Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 I enjoyed watching FUNNY GIRL last week. Note though that I never watched the movie and I'm only familiar with "Don't Rain on my Parade" thanks to Lea Michele singing it in GLEE. To me, I couldn't stop looking at RAMIN KARIMLOO! I mean wow! + Vegas_Millennial, thomas and + Lucky 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 (edited) Saw this Friday. Beanie can't sing the songs. Ramin's talent is wasted. Lynch is funny, but in whole other show. Cheap set. Dull costumes. Circus-like tactics to get the audience excited. This Fanny wasn't so much Funny as Fatigued. Edited April 25, 2022 by Benjamin_Nicholas thomas, + Cock Eyed Optimist and + Vegas_Millennial 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ WilliamM Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 I liked Steisand in "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" more than "Funny Girl" so look forward to seeing the FG revival. I saw FG in the Boston tryout, and realize many successful changes were made after Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ keroscenefire Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 NYTimes theater critic just published a pretty scathing review of Funny Girl. It definitely touches on a lot of what you said Benjamin: The staging "feels lumbering and underfunded, with cheap-looking sets." Feldstein's singing is "overstretched" and "merely loud." And ultimately, "Without a stupendous Fanny to thrill and distract, the musical’s manifold faults become painfully evident." + BenjaminNicholas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ WilliamM Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 Peter Marks' review in The Washington Post is much more interesting and fair Title: Beanie Feldstein's Attempt to scale "Funny Girl:" She Almost Makes It + keroscenefire 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeezifonly Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 No one else can be Barbra, but many great singing actors out there could play Fanny. 2022: the overall public perception Fanny = Barbra, Barbra = Fanny. How can anyone scale that mountain in their first leading role in a big musical? In its first Broadway revival? Even if you have seasoned chops, playing Fanny is running a marathon. Onstage almost always, and constant quick changes - all the scenes requiring new looks to tell the story. I’ll give her plenty of room to grow in it. No question - she’s earning her shekels. I didn’t get the Lynch choice in Mrs Brice casting. A particular demo appeal, I guess. Mary Testa would be perfection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skynyc Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 So unfair to expect Beanie to repeat the triumph of Barbra, especially with opening scheduled on BS's 80th birthday, so she's already competing for media time on the actual day. And sadly, the reviews, are right...for anyone who saw the original, or the movie, there is no comparison. Ms. Feldman AND her director, tried to create a "new" Fannie, but she's not able to do it. I did see Leslie Kritzer's version at Paper Mill twenty years ago and she did do it. I fully expected that production to come into town. But as pointed out, it's not just Feldman...the production is cheap looking and sadly, unnecessary. (And I am seldom this harsh.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 I agree with others here who felt the mainstream review Streisand comparisons were unfair. I'd never expect Beanie to fill those shoes, but do take issue with there being a multitude of 'non-name' theatre people who could have easily knocked this one out of the park. It's clear they wanted celebrity on their side instead. The business of Broadway is that they have to sell seats to tourists. It is what it is. Criticism aside, I hope the show runs a long time. I never want to see anyone lose their job. thomas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ Cash4Trash Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 Julie Benko went on for Beanie Feldstein last evening. Several raves for Julie Benko on BroadwayWorld Posted by: KingSpeed 03:04 am EDT 04/30/22 Phrases like “a revelation,” “absolutely sensational,” “heart-pounding” and “Tony-worthy” are being thrown around. These things have never been said about Beanie. It’s almost like the producers set this up. I wonder if Beanie will take a TV series and bow out gracefully. We’ll see. More drama backstage tonight than onstage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted May 10, 2022 Share Posted May 10, 2022 Only one TONY nom and it wasn't a lead. What's worse is that the producers/director are burying Jared Grimes's nomination from advertising to appease the leads. Not one mention of it on the website. It's a shame for a young performer who could use the chat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 I saw the show today. I’m happy to report that Beanie was much better than expected. Is she Barbra? No. But no one is. Still she brought a sweetness to the role and she ended both acts with a pretty rousing version of Don’t Rain On My Parade. She’s got a good voice and perhaps is growing into the role. It’s not a great show but that’s more a problem of the book. I’d recommend it if you just keep your expectations at medium. Cooper, + Lucky, thomas and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Beanie Feldstein & Jane Lynch are leaving the show in late September. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/beanie-feldstein-jane-lynch-leaving-broadway-funny-girl-1235166437/amp/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ WilliamM Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 (edited) Good I am seeing the musical in early July. To be fair, their leaving was announced quite a while ago. Edited June 22, 2022 by WilliamM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 9 minutes ago, WilliamM said: Good I am seeing the musical in early July. To be fair, their leaving was announced quite a while ago. The official announcement was made last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ WilliamM Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 15 minutes ago, Cooper said: The official announcement was made last week. Why didn't you post it then? Old news now. Check with Broadway sites like all that chat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 And then there's the persistent rumor of Lea Michele joining the cast in Sept. That would sell the fuck outta tickets. + WilliamM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handiacefailure Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 I saw it Saturday. Was debating between seeing it or Beetlejuice (I love Kerry Butler). Wish I would have gone to Beetlejuice instead. Very disappointing. Beanie was a very poor fit for the part of Frannie. I liked her in Hello Dolly, but she was awful in this. She didn't have the voice for the part. Ramin Karimloo and Jane Lynch were great. There were a lot of empty seats. I don't see this show lasting much longer unless they get a get a lot better replacement for Beanie after she leaves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 11 hours ago, handiacefailure said: I saw it Saturday. Was debating between seeing it or Beetlejuice (I love Kerry Butler). Wish I would have gone to Beetlejuice instead. Very disappointing. Beanie was a very poor fit for the part of Frannie. I liked her in Hello Dolly, but she was awful in this. She didn't have the voice for the part. Ramin Karimloo and Jane Lynch were great. There were a lot of empty seats. I don't see this show lasting much longer unless they get a get a lot better replacement for Beanie after she leaves. They're currently negotiating for a HUGE name to take over the show in Sept. If this works out, they won't have any issue selling tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MikeThomas Posted June 28, 2022 Share Posted June 28, 2022 I was disappointed when it didn’t workout for Lauren Ambrose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ WilliamM Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 On 6/22/2022 at 3:06 PM, BenjaminNicholas said: And then there's the persistent rumor of Lea Michele joining the cast in Sept. That would sell the fuck outta tickets. No longer a rumour Lea Michelle joins the cast in September. Meanwhile Beanie is now leaving the show at the end of July - a month early Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ BenjaminNicholas Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 1 hour ago, WilliamM said: No longer a rumour Lea Michelle joins the cast in September. Meanwhile Beanie is now leaving the show at the end of July - a month early Beanie was never the right fit. She let a lot of people (who knew better) tell her she was right when she wasn't. While not a huge fan of Lea, she's going to kick the living shit out of this role. Huge ticket sales. + WilliamM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MikeThomas Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 She’s got the pipes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZEtoGRU Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 I'm doing a theatre visit to NYC this weekend. I'm not seeing Funny Girl thanks to this forum...thanks for the advice. I'm seeing Company and Moulin Rouge for sure. Trying to decide between Mr. Saturday Night and Into The Woods for the other show. Thoughts? + Vegas_Millennial 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeezifonly Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 As a piece of stage literature it’s hardly worth all the drama surrounding the whole casting thing. The Broadway show is known because of the film, and the film is Barbra. What exactly was expected, I wonder. + Vegas_Millennial 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handiacefailure Posted July 12, 2022 Share Posted July 12, 2022 13 minutes ago, EZEtoGRU said: I'm doing a theatre visit to NYC this weekend. I'm not seeing Funny Girl thanks to this forum...thanks for the advice. I'm seeing Company and Moulin Rouge for sure. Trying to decide between Mr. Saturday Night and Into The Woods for the other show. Thoughts? Company and Moulin Rouge are both great shows. One show I'd really recommend is Hadestown. EZEtoGRU 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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