Funny Girl

Published Friday 9 May 2008 at 13:05 by Michael Sell

This is a very organised production of Funny Girl into which director Angus Jackson has generated great pace.

The design, particularly wardrobe, sets the scene perfectly and the movement, choreography by Stephen Mear, and orchestration by Jason Carr interpreted by musical director Robert Scott, creates a coherent presentation.

Samantha Spiro as Fanny Brice provides a loveable, manipulative yet vulnerable personality, full of determination, and so self-centred that she had the ability to bulldoze her way through relationships and to overcome her physique. Her mother, a fine performance by Sheila Steafel, supports her daughter but tells it straight. Fanny’s relationships with her producers, Tom Keeney a stereotype in the hands of Cornelius Clarke, and Florenz Ziegfeld, a grand man of the theatre as played by David Killick, are extremely personal. The two men in Fanny’s life, loyal and supportive Eddie Ryan, beautifully played by Sebastien Torkia, and irrepressible Nick Arnstein (Mark Umbers) who she marries, are totally credible characters of substance. Myra Sands as Mrs Strakosh provides well-timed humour and neighbourliness.

The dancing is well-performed and the singing of a high order. Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat proves to be a memorable full blown chorus number and Cornet Man real vaudeville. Who are you Now? is counter balanced by the fun of Sadie, Sadie and People, and Don’t Rain on my Parade provides individual and company opportunity.

It is a challenge to produce a lively, exciting and balanced Funny Girl on such a small stage, but the audience respondes with great enthusiasm to good performances and, for a musical, a more substantial book than usual.