Nothing like a timeless hit, right? And “Funny Girl” is the best example of this on Broadway.
Consecrated by the iconic Barbra Streisand in the 60s, the musical is now being revived in Brazil.
The history of the musical
With a narrative based on a true story, Funny Girl was successful not only on stage but also on the big screen.
The story is about Fanny Brice, a poor Jewish girl who dreams of being a movie star but is considered an ugly duckling by everyone. Even though she is focused on her career, she falls in love with an older man, Nick Arnstein, who is a gambling addict and a criminal.
Although Fanny does not fit the standards, she has a lot of talent and is hired by a famous producer, and ends up achieving fame after hard work, with all her charisma and humor and after some time they also see great potential in her as a singer.
Fanny was a bold woman for her time, she did not accept rules, much less those that diminished her, she opened many paths for those who followed her. Even though their marriage did not work out, Fanny and Nick had two children, William and Frances. Coincidentally, the iconic musical performed by Barbra Streisand was produced by Fanny’s daughter’s husband.
The first version
The play premiered at the Winter Garden Theater on March 26, 1964, but it was only in 1968 that it was adapted into a film, becoming a success, of the original cast only Barbra Streisand and Kay Medford (Rose Brice) remained in their roles for the big screen.
With an impeccable soundtrack, two songs among the musical’s fifteen deserve to be highlighted, “Don’t Rain On My Parade” and “My Man”, remembered by the public to this day. Another point to be commented on is the period costumes used in both media, they were elaborate and beautiful.
Many people believe that Barbra was made for this character, her performance and voice are memorable and continue to this day. The “Barbra Phenomenon” has been mentioned several times in films and series.
The new version on stage.
The musical was recently revived on Broadway and was a huge success. Starring Lea Michele, life imitating art, as the actress has already lived and performed songs in the series “Glee“, where her character had Barbra Streisand as her biggest reference, and points in which the character identified herself, such as being Jewish and wanting to be famous.
In Brazil, the musical arrived for the first time this year, and its production includes some changes from the original.
The first change was in its duration, what used to be a three-hour show became an hour and a half, in addition, the theme of the play also changed, bringing the artists much more like real people, where the stage is a refuge, making it a sacred place.
This time, the actress Giulia Nadruz will play Fanny. Dealing with controversial topics at the time, such as getting married early and abusive relationships. Despite having a certain drama, it is still a musical comedy. The cast also features big names, such as Eriberto Leão playing Nick Arnstein and Arízio Magalhães as producer Florenz Ziegfeld.
The Porto Seguro theater hosts the musical until October 8th, from Friday to Sunday, with double sessions on the weekends.
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The article above was edited by Giullia Cartaxo.
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