FUNNY GIRL Producers Issue Statement on Sheridan Smith's Absence

Yesterday Sheridan Smith, star of the current West End production of Funny Girl, turned to Twitter to announce that she would be unable to perform at last evening's performance due to the recent news that her father was in poor health. The producers of the musical issued the following statement on her absence:

Our priority at this time is to Sheridan and her family. Sheridan's primary concern is quite rightly her father's wellbeing, and we support her wholeheartedly. We would never ask nor expect an artist to perform in this situation, and ask that you respect her and her family's privacy at this time. She will not be performing in Funny Girl this evening, and we will take each day as it comes. Tonight's performance of Funny Girl will go ahead with her understudy Natasha J Barnes.

The run of Funny Girl at the Menier Chocolate Factory has been a tremendous success, and we look forward to welcoming audiences to the transfer at the Savoy from April. For those patrons who have tickets to any affected performances at the Menier and choose not to see the show, the producers are in agreement with Sheridan, and would like to confirm her offer of tickets to see her in Funny Girl at the Savoy. Tickets will be subject to availability. Patrons should contact the Menier to make arrangements. [source]

Today, Sheridan tweeted her gratitude to fans for their support and good wishes, posting: "Thank you so much, my beautiful followers, sat here crying at your responses. Love ur support."

[FIND OUT ABOUT NATASHA J BARNES, SHERIDAN SMITH'S UNDERSTUDY, WITH OUR INTERVIEW!]

FUNNY GIRL returned to the London stage for the first time since its 1966 premiere November 20 - March 5. The production is presented in association with Sonia Friedman Productions and Scott Landis.

With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, the Broadway smash which skyrocketed Barbra Streisand to stardom, is revived with Sheridan Smith playing Fanny Brice, who rose from the Lower East Side of New York to become one of Broadway's biggest stars under producer Florenz Ziegfield. While she was cheered onstage as a great comedienne, offstage she faced a doomed relationship with the man she loved. With a score featuring now-classic songs such as "People", "You Are Woman, I Am Man" and "Don't Rain on My Parade", this brand new production promises to be a major theatrical event .

Sheridan Smith previously appeared in Little Shop of Horrors for the company (also Duke of York's Theatre). Her other theatre work includes A Midsummer Night's Dream (Michael Grandage Company at the Noel Coward Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Old Vic), Flare Path (Theatre Royal Haymarket - Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards for Best Actress), Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre - Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Tinderbox (Bush Theatre), The People are Friendly(Royal Court) and Into the Woods (Donmar Warehouse). For television, her credits include Blackwork, The C Word, Cilla,The Widower, The 7.39, Dates, Mr Stink, Mrs Biggs (BAFTA Best Actress), Accused, Scapegoat, Little Crackers, Jonathan Creek, Gavin & Stacey, Larkrise to Candleford, Grown Ups, Love Soup, Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps, The Royale Family and Wives and Daughters; and for film, The Huntsman, Powder Room, Quartet, Tower Block and Hysteria.

Photo Credit: Marc Brenner