OFFICAL: Michael Mayer to Helm West End Revival of FUNNY GIRL, Starring Sheridan Smith

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:06am

Pretty exciting!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Michael-Mayer-to-Helm-West-End-Revival-of-FUNNY-GIRL-Starring-Sheridan-Smith-20150803

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 10:06 AM

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:13am

Yikes. What a tough show to do and an even tougher role to get right. I hope Sheridan has it in her. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:16am

Granted, not who I'd want to see in a U.S. revival, but for the West End I think it's a really good fit. Plus, I think she's more than up to par. I'm just hoping if this production does make a transfer, we see somebody who is famous here take the stage. Specifically Annaleigh Ashford. But you know, major bias there.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:30am

So much of the book was tailored to Streisand's talent. I wonder if they will have a major re-work of the script. 

[Anshel2]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:46am

If this isn't a hit in London, it is doubtful it will open in NY, whether it is this production or another.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:59am

I hope Michael Mayer has better luck with this than he did with On a Clear Day...

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:16am

I saw the original but not with you know who. She had already left by then. I saw it with Mimi Hines . Check her name in Wikipedia.

She really resembled Brice whereas all those who have played it or are mentioned for possible productions look nothing like her. It would be nice to find someone who looks like her, can sing & can act. This would be a great Funny Girl.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:35am

Doesn't the Menier Chocolate Factory only seat about 200 people?  It's going to be a scaled down version of the show.  If it travels to Broadway, it will probably be through Roundabout.  

I'd like to see this show even though I don't think Sheridan is physically right for the role and I'm a bit hesitant that the Brits can bring the authentic Lower East Side feel which the show needs in the beginning.  So many Brits often use weird accents when playing Americans.  They make it a Brooklyn tough sound with a Texas drawl.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:54am

So much of the book was tailored to Streisand's talent.

Those tailorings to Streisand were implimented into FUNNY GIRL after the musical's bumpy out-of-town tryouts. Once they arrived into NY in early 1964, Jerome Robbins was brought in to "doctor" the show and he quickly assessed the problem: the musical needs to be The Barbra Streisand Show and trimmed away anything that takes away from her. Jean Stapleton (the original Mrs. Strakosh) has said in the press that the entire cast was informed that the show was going to be going through an extensive reworking and that scenes and roles will be trimmed or completely cut and they all agreed it was for the best of the musical. This tailoring bit was continued for Marilyn Michaels in the First National Tour and Streisand's replacement Mimi Hines - adding to the role certain strengths each actress possessed.

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 11:54 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 12:51pm

 

I'm excited, though the headline is misleading.  The Menier is not a West End house.  It's like calling the current production of The 39 Steps at the Union Square Theatre a "Broadway revival".  But I would love it if Menier would transfer Funny Girl with Sheridan to the West End and Broadway as they did with La Cage and Douglas Hodge.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 5:49pm

keep this awaaaay from broadway. My dream revival of Funny Girl is a big ass broadway production at the winter garden directed by bart sher. Jessie Mueller as Fanny

[SweetLips]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 5:55pm

Talk to your producer friends--am sure they will listen to all those pearls that drip from your mouthhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 05:55 PM

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 5:57pm

i will!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:34pm

Menier is tiny. And production values usually sparse, seems like a show about The Ziegfield Follies will be a tight fit. And yes, the headline is far off, the West End it ain't.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 9:04am

FYI: tickets for this just went on sale yesterday and it's already completely sold out. I imagine a West End transfer is almost a guarantee at this point...maybe Broadway after that.

[lotiloti]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 9:37am

"Menier is tiny. And production values usually sparse, seems like a show about The Ziegfield Follies will be a tight fit. And yes, the headline is far off, the West End it ain't.

 

"production values usually sparse'   What utter rubbish. It's safe assume you've never been to the Menier.

 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 10:48am

Menier is one of the best - if not the best - theaters in London and its production of Sunday, La cage and A Little Night music had great success both in London and on Broadway. I'm sure it's going to be great, I can't wait for the whole cast to be announced.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 10:56am

Philly, by your "friends", do you mean the various industry people you relentlessly tweetttttttttttt at all day and nighttttttttttt?

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 12:48pm

On ATC, someone said the Chocolate Factory run sold out in 2 hours. And they have a waiting list set up for people who missed out.

Updated On: 8/17/15 at 12:48 PM

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 4:58pm

"Philly, by your "friends", do you mean the various industry people you relentlessly tweetttttttttttt at all day and nighttttttttttt?"

what? I don't even really tweet to anyone. You must be stalking the wrong personnnnnnnnn

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 7:23pm

Hamilton22 said: "So much of the book was tailored to Streisand's talent. I wonder if they will have a major re-work of the script."

 

Harvey Fierstein is gonna be re-working the book.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Harvey-Fierstein-to-Rework-Book-for-Sheridan-Smith-Led-UK-FUNNY-GIRL-Revival-20150917

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 7:35pm

I think she's a great fit! At least in London. Not sure she could sell out a Broadway house as we don't know her here. I think the time is ripe for a Mueller led revival. I mean, she basically played her already in Beautiful with that obnoxious accent.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 7:47pm

I bet you anything that the "re-working" of the book will somehow involve changing the text so it doesn't make Sheridan Smith's casting seem completely ridiculous. 

 

As a Jewish person, I've always admired Funny Girl for being one of the only stories to overtly deal with the stereotype of the Jewish "look," which Sheridan does not at all possess. 

 

Updated On: 9/17/15 at 07:47 PM

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 9/17/15 at 7:58pm

I'm very excited for this. Hope this is a hit. I'm wishing for success, then Broadway transfer, then national tour so I can see this great score sung in front of my own eyes and ears.

[The Other One]

Posted: 9/18/15 at 5:48am

Harvey will probably beef up Eddie Ryan's role.