“Funny Girl,” the hit Broadway musical of the 1960s, is back and currently on tour at the Kennedy Center. Over the course of “Funny Girl,” real-life stage and radio entertainer Fanny Brice recalls the life she has lived that brought her to where she is now—a celebrated performer with a major life crisis. The show flashes back to her status as an unknown young woman who dreams of stardom. Through her tenacious spirit, stupendous talent, and work ethic, she makes her way all the way to the top becoming a “Ziegfeld Girl.”
As the story progresses, so does Fanny’s relationship with her soon-to-be dearly beloved Nick Arnstein. This elegant and seemingly chivalrous man leads Fanny on a wild and romantic goose chase of a life that slowly reveals that his character is somewhat different than his charming looks. He is the first to acknowledge her talent but in other ways does not appreciate her. This renders her a tragic character because she has the love of the audience, and yet the one person she really loves does not return her love in any substantial way. He becomes her husband, and she attempts unsuccessfully to help him monetarily; this causes Nick to resent her and proceed on a path which may lead to unethical, indeed criminal, financial behavior.
While the plot is very serious, the music and dancing are entertaining, upbeat, and comic. Katerina McCrimmon is a wonderful “funny girl,” at turns upbeat, poignant, and, of course, funny, as in her comic numbers “His Love Makes Me Beautiful” and “You Are a Woman, I am Man,” the latter in which she duets in perfect chemistry with Stephan Mark Lukas as Nick. Her rendition of “People,” reminiscent of Barbra Streisand and yet performed in a style all her own, is beautiful and haunting.
Izaiah Montaque Harris offers wonderful dancing as Eddie Ryan, especially in “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?” in song-and-dance duet with the famous Melissa Manchester turning in a wonderful performance as Fanny’s mother Mrs. Brice. Fans of spectacular Broadway show numbers will especially enjoy “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat.” This number is also very patriotic in red, white, and blue, in keeping with our month of Independence Day.
The costumes done by Susan Hilferty are all wonderful, evoking a lost time period of Amaricana. The scenic design by David Zinn features a convincing contrast between Broadway elegance on the stage and the gritty reality of the crowded-street milieu in which Fanny was raised. The direction by Michael Mayer is superb, and the orchestra is wonderfully conducted by Elaine Davidson, complete with Overture and Entr’acte music. Stunning choreography is by Ellenore Scott.
“Funny Girl” is, in sum, a wonderfully entertaining performance for those who are both new to the show and those for whom this Broadway classic is a long-time favorite. It runs through July 14 and is heartily recommended.
