Sony Masterworks Broadway release Funny Girl: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring the classic score by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics). It stars Emmy Award Nominee Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, 2022 Tony & Drama Desk Award Nominee & Chita Rivera Award Winner Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, and four-time Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Rosie Brice...

Personally, I've never been a fan of Funny Girl as a musical. I've always found the songs, with a couple of exceptions, to be instantly forgettable and the whole thing just seems drab and lifeless. Having said that, if you are a fan of Jule Styne and Bob Merrill's original, you'll find plenty to enjoy on this revisit.

This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she'd never be a star, but then something funny happened - she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. Michael Mayer’s new production marks the first time Funny Girl has returned to Broadway since its debut 58 years ago.

You can't fault the performances, nor the musical arrangement and this really does come down to whether you're a fan of the original. For some reason, this never really made it into pop culture in the way so many musicals have. In fact the only really notable song that almost everyone will know is 'Don't Rain on My Parade'. 'I'm the Greatest Star' is also supposed to be famous, but no one I spoke to claimed to have heard it before, whilst most did know 'Don't Rain on My Parade'.

You certainly get your monies worth here. There are 22 tracks (1 hr, 7 min, 18 sec). It just boils down to whether you're excited by Styne and Merrill's work or not.

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Nick Smithson