By Michael Buzzelli
Fania Borach AKA Fanny Brice (Leah Platt on opening night), star of stage, radio and film, doesn’t let anyone rain on her parade in “Funny Girl.”
Eddie Ryan (Izaiah Montaque Harris) and her mother Mrs. Brice (Melissa Manchester) believe in Fanny’s star power. After her first big break, in a show produced by Tom Keeney (David Foley, Jr.), Fanny skyrockets to fame, drawing the watchful eye of notorious gambler, Nick Arnstein (Stephen Mark Lukas).
Though Fanny plays hard-to-get on their first date, she gives in to Nick’s charms. The two are delightfully playful in “You Are Woman, and I Am Man.”
Fanny falls head over heels for this no-good Nick faster than you can say, “Baby Snooks.” Even though her friends in the theater see Nick’s brightly waving red flags, Fanny is entranced.
Mrs. Brice, her friends Mrs. Strakosh (Cheryl Stern), and Mrs. Meeker (Christine Bunuan) act as the Greek chorus, filling in the exposition over Pinochle (or some other card game). The accents are very familiar, and purposely grating. Think: Renée Taylor in every episode of “The Nanny,” or the unseen but very heard Carol Ann Susi as Howard Wolowitz’s mom on “The Big Bang Theory.”
Harvey Fierstein (“Torch Song Trilogy,” “La Cage aux Folles” etc.) revised the book by Isobel Lennart (and her original story), grafting on some fun moments, updating it and excising some flab.
Platt (who replaced Hannah Shankman on opening night) does an amazing job as Fanny Brice.
It’s hard not to compare any performance to Barbra Joan Streisand, and there does seem to be a lot of influence in her performance. Platt is a belter and she hits some incredible high, sustained notes. Her version of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” is flawless.
Lukas is a charmer. He’s charismatic and bold. Everything an Nicky Arnstein should be. Hunk alert: There was an audible collective gasp from the audience when he showed up shirtless in the second act.
Harris’s tap-dancing Eddie Ryan is a thrill to watch. He’s another great reason to see this revival. There is some excellent tap choreography by Ayodele Casel.
There are glorious costumes by Susan Hilferty and some lovely sets by David Zinn.
Director Michael Mayer keeps the action swift and the story tight. The show clips along and the dance scenes choreographed by Ellenore Scott are fun and fast-paced.
The story, which takes place during and shortly-after World War I (i.e. the Great War), may strike some audiences members as old-fashioned, quaint or nostalgic, but at it’s heart, “Funny Girl” is about love: wanting it, getting it, and losing it. What is more relevant than love?
It’s a slice of life, an extraordinary life.
I’m ready for “Funny Lady.”
-MB
“Funny Girl” runs from January 7 to 12 at the Benedum Center, 237 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, click here.
