FANNY Brice was a talented performer in the 1920s, most famous as a comedienne.

Her role was re-enacted to great acclaim by Barbra Streisand on Broadway in 1964 and later in a film of the musical about her, Funny Girl

Streisand’s shoes are difficult to fill but Sheridan Smith doesn’t even try. She makes the role her own.

In the first scene, in a flashback, we are taken back to her childhood in Brooklyn when all she has is the will to succeed.

We see her courtship with Nick Arnstein (Chris Peluso) flourish as this small, plain bundle of personality is overcome by the attention of such an attractive man, illustrated in the duet You are Woman.

She gets lots of laughs for her facial expression as Nick gradually overcomes her with his charms..

When she takes centre stage, Smith has the audience in the palm of her hand with her quick fire humour and charisma.

When she sings People they are holding back the tears and she receives a tumultuous round of applause.

Fanny is helped on the road to fame by Joshua Lay’s Eddie Ryan, whose advice she takes even though she almost certainly has the natural talent to make it without him.

Another interesting character is Fanny’s mother played by Rachel Izen. Her pride is tinged with envy when, she, and Lay’s Eddie belt out Who Taught her Everything She Knows?

Things aren’t so funny at the end when love turns sour but this is sensitively enacted to become almost beautiful.

There isn’t much to the plot but there is plenty to enjoy in the singing, dancing, costumes and humour which deservedly receive a standing ovation.

* Funny Girl is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until February 25th. Sheridan Smith will return for two more weeks in the popular musical from August 7th -19th. Tickets are now on sale at atgtickets.com/Manchester for both performances. Star rating:

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