Funny Girl Fanny’s fabulous
LESLEY OLDFIELD REVIEWS FUNNY GIRL, STARRING SHERIDAN SMITH AT THE THEATRE ROYAL NEWCASTLE UNTIL TOMORROW
FROM the moment she walks across stage at the very start of the show, Sheridan Smith oozes star quality.
This touring revival, already a West End hit, is winning rave reviews across the country, and I am not about to differ.
Nor did the Theatre Royal audience, who rose to their feet as one when Smith appeared to take her bow.
Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif starred in the acclaimed 1968 movie version loosely based on the life of Broadway star Fanny Brice.
I was raised on Streisand’s soaring, glossy vocals – a hard act to beat and no mistake.
But Sheridan Smith, who seems to dust with gold every role she tackles, makes this her own, belting out its numerous great numbers with true aplomb.
The show traces Fanny’s rise from vaudeville to the biggest, most glamorous gig of the 1920s, the Ziegfeld Follies – all sparkles and feathers. Like many of the best shows, it is also a love story. Darius Campbell, Pop Idol’s Darius Danesh, is the man in question – and what a commanding, swoon-worthy leading man he proves to be. His velvety vocals are fabulous too. The seduction scene in his hotel is priceless, as Fanny skitters away from him, singing of being elegant – with legs akimbo – at one moment and melting into his arms the next. Directed by Michael Mayer and choreographed by Lynne Page, the show, like Isobel Lennart’s script and Bob Merill’s lyrics, has a playful and joyous feel. One of my favourite numbers, Don’t Rain on My Parade, brings the first act to a close with the energy levels sky high. The music, by Jule Styne, and performed by a live orchestra, also includes gentle numbers such as the heartfelt People (Who Like People). To check ticket availability, go to www. theatreroyal.co.uk or telephone 08448 112121.