Review Roundup: Sheridan Smith-Led FUNNY GIRL Opens on the West End

Last night, the Sheridan Smith-starring revival of Funny Girl opened at the Savoy Theatre in the West End. The transfer follows a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and the show is booking until October 8. Smith takes on Barbra Streisand's iconic role of Fanny Brice, the Brooklyn singer and comedienne who became a Broadway sensation under producer Florenz Ziegfeld. The cast also features Darius Campbell as Nicky Arnstein, Marilyn Cutts as Mrs Brice,Maurice Lane as Mr Keeney, Valda Aviks as Mrs Meeker, Gay Soper as Mrs Strakosh, Natasha J Barnes as Emma/Mrs Nadler, Bruce Montague as Florenz Ziegfeld, and Joel Montague as Eddie Ryan.

Michael Mayer directs a retooled version of the show, with Harvey Fierstein revising Isobel Lennart's book. Funny Girl features music from Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, with classic songs such as "People", 'I'm the Greatest Star" and "Don't Rain on My Parade".

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Mark Shenton, The Stage: Michael Mayer's loving, delicately nuanced production began life in a shrink-wrapped version at the Menier Chocolate Factory last Christmas. Though a West End transfer was announced even before it opened, it was able to find its feet at the Menier and now, on the wider, taller stage of the Savoy, it has much more room to breathe.

Douglas Mayo, Britishtheatre.com: Director Michael Mayer and Designer Michael Pavelka have created a Funny Girl that is constantly moving, charting the express train trajectory of Brice's rise to fame. Action moves flawlessly from backstage to onstage, from New York to Pittsburgh and to other locations flawlessly. Some scenes in Pavelka's etched glass and mirrored, but slightly askew theatre set are astonishingly beautiful. Matthew Wright's costumes for Fanny are simply beautiful and look sensational on Smith. Such is the nature and advancements in production that this production of Funny Girl has one third of the cast of the original and an orchestra half the size, but you'd hardly know it.

Jane Shilling, Telegraph: ... the jewel at the heart of this production is Smith. Brilliantly costumed by Matthew Wright in the garish outfits of a woman who loves clothes (the fancier the better) and doesn't give a hoot that she hasn't a scrap of taste, she belts her way through triumph and disaster with such full-hearted charm that you can only surrender to it.

Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard: Smith convinces us, with pathos to spare, that Fanny can't quite believe the suave Nick could possibly fall for a Brooklyn Jewish girl like her. It's Brice's gnawing but immensely credible need to keep Nick too close that does for the relationship and Smith soars her way through the sad songs and makes us laugh, a lot, through the comedy numbers of the Ziegfeld Follies. She proves once more that she's a very special performer.

William J. Connolly, Gay Times: Bringing Funny Girl back home to the West End was never going to be an easy task, yet Michael Mayer's production perfects the art of finding new life in a piece of theatrical gold. With heart, heartache and one killer leading lady, this is a production of Funny Girl you'll be talking about for years!

Daisy Bowie-Sell, Whatsonstage: Ultimately, Funny Girl is not about telling the story of Fanny Brice - which doesn't really have enough drama to stand alone. Instead it's about getting Fanny back onstage so she can win the world over once more. And Smith nails that entirely. She will make you laugh, cry and want to see the show again.

Photo Credit: Johan Persson

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