I hoped that sixth row, center seats ($80 @ TKTS!) for Lea Michele's star turn as Fanny Brice might dim my desire to have seen Barbra Streisand originate the role on Broadway, but no. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery--and Lea perfectly mimics the decidedly Brooklyn Jewish speech inflections and mannerisms that made both Fanny and Barbra so unforgettable--but a copy is still a copy. Still, she sings and vamps delightfully, and she clicks hilariously with Ramin Karimloo in the musical's best non-singing scene. I enjoyed every minute of the first act with the best closing number EVER, the second not so much but I suspect that would remain a problem even if I did own a show biz time machine. First stop: opening night at the Winter Garden on March 26, 1964. "Hello, gorgeous!"
No comments:
Post a Comment