one4review | On 21, Aug 2014

This production of Funny Girl came over as unfortunately too ambitious for this student theatre company. It got off to a bad start with an incredibly dodgy overture but then fortunately the small band settled in and were very good for the rest of the show. This brings me to the main problem, although the band weren’t too loud the cast desperately needed mics to balance the weak voices.

The afternoon didn’t spring to life until the fantastic solo tenor voice in the wedding number, well done! Unfortunately this contrasted with a mis-cast, over-acted Fanny who shouted and strained through her numbers with the money-song of ‘Don’t Rain on my Parade’ being a series of compromises to try to make it work. Sympathetic clapping ensued, which is such a shame.

The direction was often confusing with actors playing multiple characters yet looking and sounding very similar – it wasn’t until they were spoken to by name that you realised sometimes.

There is promise here for the future, with perhaps more appropriate material than an old classic.

Reviewed by Alan.

Greenside @ Nicolson Square
1400 to 1540