Funny Girl Review by 2023 Blumey Awards Student Critic winner Aminah Imran

We were thrilled to invite 2023 Blumey Awards Student Critic winner Aminah Imran to Opening Night of Funny Girl, playing Belk Theater NOW through Sunday! She shared this DAZZLING review of the show! 

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If I had to sum up Funny Girl in two words, I would use “dazzling” and “gorgeous.” Of course, that is nothing short of a massive understatement. In order for one to truly understand just how phenomenal the current run of the comedy musical is, they would have to go and see it for themself. The Charlotte stop on the North American tour of Funny Girl opened at Blumenthal’s Belk Theatre on the evening of October 17th, and will be performing here until the evening of the 22nd—so you still have a couple of chances to see it, and trust me, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity.

 

Funny Girl is a biographical comedy musical based on the story of Fanny Brice, a young Jewish girl who started out her career by working chorus dancer gigs, and eventually made it as a Broadway star. She faces a number of trials and tribulations along her journey, especially being told she would never make it big because she did not fit society’s beauty standards. She depicts the struggle of being a Jewish woman trying to make it as an actress in the 1900s, and showcases the rocky relationships with her coworkers that come with it. As the show progresses, Fanny continuously proves the world wrong by becoming successful beyond anyone's imagination, while leaving plenty of room for both laughter and heartfelt moments along the way.

 

(First National Touring Company of Funny Girl - Photo By Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

 

“Hello, gorgeous,” was my first thought when I saw Katerina McCrimmon in the role of Fanny Brice. McCrimmon’s chemistry with all her fellow actors was some of the best I’ve ever seen in any production. The way she interacted with Melissa Manchester, who played Mrs. Brice, left no room for doubt that the elder woman was portraying her mother. The manner in which she treated Mrs. Strakosh and Mrs. Meeker, played respectively by Eileen T’Kaye and Christine Bunuan, gave the impression that she had known them all her life. Similarly, her relations with the ensemble always felt natural and realistic rather than forced—as they often do with theatrical performances. While McCrimmon certainly embodied the attitude, energy, and overall vibe of Fanny Brice down to a tee, one can only imagine how much more impactful it would have been to see a Jewish actress in this iconic role since Fanny’s heritage is a vital part of the story.

 

Katrina McCrimmon and the company blew the audience away with every note, but it was McCrimmon’s impressive stage presence that always put her solo songs on another level. As seamlessly as her and Stephen Mark Lukas’ (Nick Arnstein) voices meshed during their duets—particularly “I Want to be Seen With You''—nothing could compare to the power of McCrimmon alone onstage, belting out “Don’t Rain on my Parade” before the curtain dropped for intermission.

 

The ensemble did a fantastic job of of demonstrating the ups and downs of show business with the staging of the piece by filling up the stage to make it seem as if there was a large crowd on stage, full of energy, and then quickly exiting, leaving the stage empty to explore Fanny’s whirling thoughts. One of the most notable things about this show has got to be the tap numbers, particularly those that Izaiah Montaque Harris performs as Eddie Ryan. Harris was easily one of the most talented tappers in the cast, his routine being as smooth as a hot knife cutting through butter. The tableaus in which certain actors broke the fourth wall contributed to the humorous nature of the show and also made the audience feel a deeper connection, as if they were truly a part of the story taking place before them.

 

 

Every piece of Funny Girl came together like a perfect melange of the best work I’ve ever seen in a show. I found myself spellbound from start to finish, from the most minute details (the sheer dedication of the company) to the show-stopping moments (McCrimmon’s “Don’t Rain on my Parade”). Katerina McCrimmon stole the show, but her fellow actors raised the bar for a cast, and the cohesion across the board between everyone on and off stage was nothing short of spectacular. I can still place myself in the audience, and in the story, days later, and recapture that same feeling. Funny Girl truly hit all the best points of a Broadway comedy musical, and while it did leave me speechless, I can certainly say it was dazzling and gorgeous throughout.

 

Review by Aminah Imran

 

Aminah is currently a senior at West Cabarrus High School, was our 2023 Blumey Awards Student Critic winner and is a second year Jr. Ambassador! 

 

(Aminah Imran accepting the award for 2023 Blumey Awards Student Critic)