Well, hello, gorgeous!
The O’ahu theatre community has a new “Brake-out” star in the fabulous Becca Brake, playing the iconic turn of the century comedienne Fanny Brice. A recent transplant to Hawai’i, Brake left me speechless at her star turn in Funny Girl at Diamond Head Theatre, with her high-caliber combination of stunning vocals, spot-on comedic timing, and charm by the bucketful. This role is not for the weak, and Brake knocks it out of the park with ease, leading this production with commitment and panache. I was especially floored by her flawless execution of the 11 o’clock number “The Music That Makes Me Dance”, prompting the audience to erupt in a chorus of cheers and raucous applause. Brake’s performance is also laudable for never aping Barbara Streisand’s take on character, or even Lea Michele’s more recent turn in the Broadway revival;—Brake makes it entirely her own, and she was a joy to watch.
Director/Choreographer John Rampage’s love for this show is evident in much of his staging choices, especially in the larger dance and Follies numbers like “His Love Makes Me Beautiful” and “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat”. Though we lose a bit of that sparkle in the smaller, more intimate moments between characters, the cast still makes this show zing. I was thoroughly charmed by David Weaver as the song-and-dance man Eddie Ryan, as he hoofed and spat snarky one-liners all across the stage. That man is a born performer, and this was a perfect role for him. Local legend Shari Lynn, who once tread the boards as Fanny herself, nearly stole the entire show as Fanny’s mother Mrs. Brice. Her comic timing was unmatched, and she made a meal out of every second she was on that stage. Her duet with Weaver, “Who Taught Her Everything”, was far and away my favorite non-Fanny performance of the night, as both performances were worthy of a Po'okela nomination. I enjoyed Mark Sanders as the debonair Nick Arnstein, though I did feel his relationship with Fanny fell a bit short, as if he had been directed to restrain his character’s magnetism. I do also need to highlight the hysterical niele aunties: Tracey Villager, Mary Rydell, and Betty Bolton, who brought the requisite meddlesome energy along with Lynn’s Mrs. Brice to Fanny’s world. Their snippy interplay was a treat, like watching an old vaudeville routine. Finally, the hardworking ensemble deserves their accolades, as they provided the sequined backbone of the entire show. Decked out in fabulous Ziegfeldian costumes (a spectacular showing by designer Kanani Sato), the denizens of Henry Street and Broadway filled the theatre with magic and glamor.
Don’t miss this incredible production, running now through June 14!
