I almost want to say that there are no words to describe how incredible this performance was, but I fear that my editor would class that as a cop out. So I shall do my best.
Funny Girl The Musical is based around the early life of Fanny Brice (played by Natasha J Barnes), a variety performer, of varied talents, on broadway (and around the US) in the first half of the 1900s. It tells the story of her rise to fame from a young girl in a small theatre in Brooklyn, to the eventual break down of her marriage to the ever so charming Nick Arnstein (played by Darius Campbell..y’know, Darius!) in 1927, which is where the show ends, with a spectacularly emotional final scene.
I have a regrettable habit of judging books by their covers, so, admittedly, I went in not expecting to enjoy it. Not because I didn’t think it would be good, but because I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea. However, I always go with an open mind. I don’t always look at the background of the story beforehand so as not to give myself any preconceptions and the opening scene didn’t give anything away to those not in the know. In fact, it wasn’t until the very end that I realised that the entire show had been the Fanny from curtains up having a flashback, although in hindsight, this may have been quite obvious to others. Anyway, now you know.
Special attention needs to be paid to the two leading parts in the show, notably Natasha who played Brice; I think if she had been alive to watch the performance, she would have been proud. Fanny Brice, renound for her ability to be serious or comedic with equal amounts of gusto, was a talented all rounder, and so I think for Natasha to really play the part well, she would have to be as equally talented, because this show is equally tragic and hilarious.
I must admit, I fell in love a little bit with Natasha’s Fanny (that wasn’t intentional, I promise, but it has to stay) and you can only truly do that if the character on stage becomes so believable that you forget it is just a character. Natasha brought her back to life. Her ability to make you laugh, whilst simultaneously tugging at your heart strings. Her outstanding vocals, whether mouse-like and melancholy, or powerful and punchy, she could do it all.
Brice was also known for being a bit of a clown on stage, and her many funny faces; there was a part in the show where Natasha’s fake moustache was trying to steal the limelight, by not staying put, and Natasha made light of this, breaking the fourth wall. Looking back, was this part of the show, and scripted in? Or was it some spectacular method acting from Natasha, and really stepping up to the role. Either way, it doesn’t matter, it fit perfectly. As you can see, I have a lot to say about Natasha’s Fanny (that was on purpose), and I would say her performance, alone, is good enough reason to go see Funny Girl. The standing ovation she got tells me I’m not the only one that feels this way.
As I said, Darius, also has to be commended for his performance, also. His stage presence had me like putty in his hands, never mind Fanny Brice. The epitome of debonair and suave. A voice as smooth as galaxy chocolate wrapped in silk. Even aesthetically he looked like the part was made for him. He brought, to the stage, everything that Fanny would have fallen in love with when she met Arnstein. Experience as everything from a successful pop star, to performing in Opera’s, really shone through, extending his charisma and charm to the audience in everything he did. Hats off to the chap.
Not wanting to take away from the rest of the cast, Joshua Lay who played Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s long-standing friend and admirer, and Martin Callaghan who played Mr Keeney, proprietor of Feeney’s, where Fanny got her first break, stuck out to me. Everybody gave it their all, though. No dancer was out of time, and no voice out of tune. And the army girls marching en pointe, I saw you, bravo.
The set was clever, at parts where it’s portraying scenes on stage, for example, it may start with the cast performing to us as the audience, but would end, with seamless transformation, with them facing away and you notice that the backdrop is a theatre, and I loved how surreal I found that. The musical numbers will have you going home whistling, especially with such songs as ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’. Some told part of the story, others were there purely for the enjoyment and to give you an insight of the kind of person Fanny was.
If you haven’t already gathered, I loved this show. I highly recommend it. From the near outset it had me laughing. It also had me close to tears at the end, seriously, there was a genuine lump in my throat, and my eyes welled up. That doesn’t happen to me very much. It’s a love story, I would say, and although it may not have the happy ending that we all want, it did does have a ‘pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and show the world what you’re made of’ feel good factor that sent shivers down my spine.
Funny Girl is showing at Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 17th June tickets available at www.trch.co.uk
Review by John Banks
