Review: FUNNY GIRL at Orpheum Theatre

Whenever we prepare to see an older musical, there is a fear that it will be outdated and difficult to watch.  Funny Girl has no such problems, as the message of self acceptance still stands up well today. It is the story of a Jewish girl's rise to fame, despite her homely looks, doing everything she can to ignore the opinions of thousands who say "if a girl isn't pretty", they can't make it in show business. 

Fanny Brice, or Fania Borach, embraced stardom as a plain-lookng Jewish girl from New York in the 1900s. She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures and the other for radio. She headlined the Ziegfeld Follies, and both created and starred in the hit comedy show The Baby Snooks Show. She has been portrayed many times, most famously, by Barbara Streisand in the 1964 Broadway muscial Funny Girl along with its sequel, Funny Lady. It was Fanny's son-in-law, Ray Stark, who had the idea of a biography. He eventually became the producer of the Broadway musical. 

Though the public loved Barbara Streisand, they weren't crazy about the show itself. Even when it was revived in 2022, the production received mostly negative reviews. It took years before Stark was satisfied with the results, and many actors were asked or came forward to play the part of Fanny. Mary Martin read the screenplay and afterwards, reached out to Stark about adapting it for a stage musical, however, creators decided against having Martin in the role as she wasn't Jewish. Creators also reached out to Carol Burnett, who said she would love to do it but "what you need is a Jewish girl". Barbara Stresiand's name was mentioned and the rest is history. But it still took a long time before the production was ready to open on Broadway. In 1964, Funny Girl opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, quickly transferring to the Majestic and the Broadway Theatres, before closing in July of 1967. In 2015, the show's first revival prepared to open in the West End with a revised book by Harvey Fierstein.  A revival production began Broadway previews in March of 2022, at the August Wilson Theatre starring Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice. In July, Feldstein announced she would be leaving the show and the next day, it was annnounced that Lea Michele would be stepping into the role. If you were ever a fan of the hit show Glee, you are familiar with the parallels as Michele's character Rachel Berry is cast as Fanny in a revival of Funny Girl. Michele managed to turn declining box office numbers around and received critical claim with her performance. The show closed in September of 2023. 

I went into the show fairly blindly, save for the film version starring Barbara Stresiand, which I saw when I was very young. Every theatre lover knows the iconic "hello gorgeous" line. I have to say I think it was better that way. I had no particular expectations and genuinely enjoyed the brassy numbers, the bright costumes, and the fun dance breaks.

Katerina McCrimmon IS Fanny Brice in every way. Her bold brassy voice and her comedic timing make her a hilarious stand-out from the long-legged blonde chorus showgirls she is surrounded by. She excels at physical comedy and her facial expressions had the audience in laughter for the entire show. But she also captured the emotions of a melancholy wife just as well, which was a pleasure to see. 

Another stand-out performance is that of Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein (yeah, THAT "Mister Arnstein") Nick should be a character that the audience can dislike but it's impossible to with Lukas's charm and witty comebacks. His portrayal of Fanny's husband is vibrant and audiences are treated to his lovely voice during number such as "Who Are You Now" and "Temporary Arrangement". In my research of the show, I found that many call Nick the villain of the production but I can't really see him that way. You have to remember in these pre-WWI days, traditional morals and standards are upheld. Nick is a man who has his wealthy, successful wife taking care of him, venturing into business arrangements with him, and telling him "what's mine is yours". Pride does things to a person, and if Nick is guilty of anything, it's letting his pride beat him down. Lukas handles the transition of a confident businessman to simply a lost man, beautifully. 

Izaiah Montaque Harris wows the audience with exhilirating tap numbers from his first appearance as Eddie, Fanny's besotten friend who just wants the best for her. Melissa Manchester is an audience favorite as Fanny's mother, Mrs. Brice, who has some wonderful moments of her own. 

This is such a high-energy show but the ensemble continues to carry it from scene to scene. Fanny finds herself swept away by the shining lights and pretty costumes of Vaudeville and that translates to the stage. It's lovely to see a lot of representation within the cast, with many different ethnicities, ages, body types, etc. As I said before, it's nice to see the core messages of the show still standing true. Fighting against the stereotypes that society places on us and maintaining courage as we face difficult challenges. Fanny personifies that message. 

This Orpheum season has many contemporary shows included so if that is your preference, you likely won't enjoy Funny Girl. It's nearly three hours long, as traditional Broadway shows are, and even includes an Overture which I have not heard in a long time. Still, it's a production not to be missed. 

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