It took long enough, darlings. The show in question is this year's revival of "Funny Girl," which, if I am not mistaken, has the distinction of having gone through three leading ladies in less than a year. Now, David and I saw it yesterday with Lea (Michele) and Tovah (Feldshuh), and while I kept saying I was only going to see Tovah, by the time the curtain rang down, I was glad I had seen Lea.
Yes, dears. She is fabulous in the part. Of course, in the beginning, I was a little nervous, but once she launched into "I'm The Greatest Star," I knew her capabilities were vast.
Remember, in the 1967 camp classic "Valley Of The Dolls," when Anne Wells (Barbara Parkins) and Lyon Burke (Paul Burke) go to see Helen Lawson (Susan Hayward) in her out-of-town tryout for the show "Hit The Sky," when she sings (thanks to Margaret Whiting dubbing) I'll Plant My Own Tree?" There is a moment in the song when Lyon turns to Anne, and says of Helen, "Offstage I hate her, but on stage, I'm madly in love with her." Then Anne gives him a look, like, "Are you homosexual?"
Well, that is how I felt about Lea in "Funny Girl."
Not only, but the presence of Lea and Tovah seems to have galvanized the entire company. Ramin Karimloo has never generated as much chemistry and heat as Nicky Arnstein as he has here. At one point, when he enters on stage in his open shirt, many females (and I bet some males) in the audience whistled and hooted. This time, I understood why. Finally, the poor guy has someone to play against, which makes their later scenes all the more heartbreaking. And Lea, whom I thought never had it in her, rose to the occasion. Her final dressing room scene, which ends the show, had me in tears. Who would have thought?
I had been hearing about all these standing ovations she was getting throughout the show. She got one, at the end of our performance, but nothing to match when we saw Julie Benko, in the same role, but a warmer, richer interpretation of the part, get said ovation right at the part in "Don't Rain On My Parade" when she declares, "Hey, Mr. Arnstein....Here I am!!!!!!!!!!!" I have never seen anything like it since.
But Lea nails all the songs. If there are twinges of Streisand in some of her phrasings, she can be forgiven for it, as, unlike the originator of this revival, she has the vocal and acting chops for the role. My favorite moment was "The Music That Makes Me Dance," wherein Lea gives us the big, dramatic finish all of us Theater Queens love about this song. Not since you know who............
As for Tovah, she is the audience's mother. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and be comforted. Humor, strength, and leg kicks I could not manage, she brings to the role of Rose Bryce, probably the greatest one since Kay Medford. When Lea is not onstage, one wishes for her, and with Tovah, the same thing. The scenes where Rose forces Fanny to face the realities of her marriage are as touching and heartbreaking as those between Fanny and Nick trying to face theirs. This piece can now stand on its own.
Yes, the sets are still annoying, the bridal scene cheesy, but "Funny Girl" is finally in place. I am now urging those who haven't to see both Lea and Julie. The latter is watching BARBRA when she was up and coming, the former is seeing someone seasoned arrive in a role she knew she was meant for all along. And turns out to be right.
Poor Lea and Tovah! Why? Because of them not opening this revival, they were cheated out of TONY Awards, which both otherwise would have received.
It took six months, but "Funny Girl" is finally on its legs.
See it while it still stands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had heard about all her standing ovations; good to know they were well deserved!!
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
ReplyDeleteReally, David and I were both surprised. She has
worked hard on this. And the results are wonderful.