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| re: Beanie Feldstein's Last Funny Girl : The core of the problem | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 06:58 am EDT 08/01/22 | |
| In reply to: Beanie Feldstein's Last Funny Girl (long) - DanielVincent 12:35 am EDT 08/01/22 | |
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| In the London production, Sheridan Smith was fine, as was her cover, Natasha Barnes, who took over for long stretches. This wasn't a 'great' production, but it served the material well enough, The Streisand factor was not nearly as big a deal in the UK as it was in NYC, with all the musical theatre mavenettes whining in chorus. For Broadway, where the show has never been revived, this production was a big deal. This was a dream come true for Ms Feldstein, and there is no world in which any brickbats are deserved for her. She worked hard, and gave her all 8 times a week. As most critics (and audiences) have noted, her casting was not ideal. She doesnt have the voice, and more interestingly, is not that funny on stage. The role calls for someone charming, funny, with a knack for clowning. And maybe a little sexy, with a will of iron. All of which Streisand had hands down. When one goes to a Broadway show and an actor seems totally at sea, or wrong; or the set is ugly; or the orchestrations are odd; of the costumes dim; - anything. Don't blame the artists. What you are seeing and hearing is what the producer(s) and director wanted you to see. They approved everything. They did the casting. If any disservice was done to Ms Feldstein, it was done by the producer and director. Although stars often are 'offer only' - they won't audition. I would think, although I dont know, that in this case Ms Feldstein would at least have had to sing for the team, as this was a talent we weren't really aware of. And when she sang for the team, they felt that they could work with her and get the sound they wanted and needed. I have no doubt whatever that serious work was engaged in in this regard. But it seems to have been a fool's errand. I feel for Ms Feldstein that she was put in this position, and enabled, and told, as I am sure she was, by all around her, that she was doing great, audiences would love her. Its reasonably hard to believe that musical theatre Broadway professionals weren't hearing what we eventually heard on Broadway. They just kept shtum. The downside of Ms Feldstein's experience I would lay at the feet of the producer(s) and director; and also her representation, who manage her career, who should have/could have clocked this, and engaged in gentle damage control. From where I sit, no one that should have been looking after Ms Feldstein;'s interests was doing so. Denial seems to have been the watchword. I wish Beanie well. Now we'll see if Ms Michelle is funny. Nothing I saw in Glee would lead me to believe so. But I await the time when I can be proven wrong. |
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