Arts > Theatre

Funny Girl

Norwich Theatre Royal

27/06/17

I first saw – and fell in love with – Funny Girl last summer at The Savoy. Sheridan Smith and Darius Campbell were incredible, as were the entire ensemble. Everything from staging to direction to set was just right. When I heard that the production was going on tour, I knew I would be going again.

Based loosely on the story of Fanny Brice and her ill-fated marriage to Nick Arnstein, Funny Girl shows Fanny’s rise to fame as a comedic musical star, and how people can never really change.

Our Funny Girl, Fanny Brice, is played by Natasha J Barnes who was thrust into the spotlight when, as Smith’s understudy, she was first called to step in with just 50 minutes notice one night last March. That one night became a run when Sheridan pulled out for a month for personal reasons, and Barnes truly rose to the challenge. With rave review after rave review, the run put Barnes on the map. While Sheridan reprised her role as Fanny for some of the earlier dates, Barnes was always billed to star in the latter half of the tour.

Barnes throws herself into the part; she loses herself to her giggles in the hilarious ‘You Are Woman, I Am Man’ and ‘Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat’, and sheds genuine tears in the heart wrenching finale. Comic timing is the life blood of Funny Girl, and yet Barnes makes it look entirely effortless. Her voice is perfect too; her powerful rendition of ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’ would make even the most hardened musical-theatre naysayers smile.

Much like Barnes own rise to the starring role, the leading man tonight was a stand in. If you didn’t know that Nick Arnstein was supposed to be played by Darius Campbell I really don’t think you would have noticed; Norwich’s own Tom Partridge was line, note, and step perfect. While Campbell (unable to perform Monday’s show due to a back injury) is due to make a return tonight, Partridge is fantastic in his absence.

Joshua Lay as Eddie had some lovely moments with Fanny, and ‘Who Taught Her Everything She Knows’ (performed with Rachel Izen as Mrs Brice) was fabulous. From cartwheels to tap, choreography to dress modelling, Lay did it all.

The standing ovation upon Barnes return to the stage was one of the most natural and heartfelt I have ever experienced. We’ll happily have you back any time, Natasha.