Book Smart actress Beanie Feldstein is not a fit as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s First Funny Girl revival

FOR decades, fans of the musical Funny Girl have wondered who, if anyone, could ever succeed Barbra Streisand in the role of Fanny Brice.

The first Broadway revival since 1964’s Tony Award-nominated production stars Beanie Feldstein, but she just isn’t worth the wait.

Feldstein certainly has stage and screen cred. She was last seen on Broadway in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!

Audiences also know her from her time on television as Monica Lewinsky in American Crime Story and in movies such as Lady Bird and Book Smart.

But it was Fanny Brice that was Beanie Feldstein’s holy grail of a role. The younger sister of actor, Jonah Hill, even requested the musical be the theme of her third birthday party.

Unfortunately, Feldstein’s life-long dream of playing the famous stage and screen comedienne in this seminal musical falls flat.

Yes, Feldstein can sing, but she simply doesn’t have the chops to belt out at the level Jule Styne’s extremely difficult score demands.

Iconic numbers such as Don’t Rain On My Parade feel forced and sound nasal rather than powerful.

And her portrayal of the Jewish actress, who is told she’s not pretty enough for show biz, feels mostly disconnected and disingenuous.

That said, this Broadway revival has everything else going for it, including a star-studded supporting cast featuring Glee’s Jane Lynch as Fanny’s mother, Rose.

Stage stapel Ramin Karimloo, as Fanny’s love interest, Nick Arnstein, recalls the late and eternally sexy, Omar Sheriff, who played the role in the 1968 Academy Award-winning movie.

A standout is tap dancer extraordinaire Jared Grimes as Fanny’s friend and dance teacher, Eddie Ryan.

Grimes could have a future hoofing it as the Candy Man in a Sammie Davis Jr. bio-musical.

There are also some stellar tap numbers like Act II’s Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat, as well as a gorgeous scenic design by David Zinn.

But if your Fanny isn’t the right fit, you’re better off paying to see another show.

Feldstein may have always wanted to play this part, but she was never right for it.

At the end of the day, she can’t overcome that. The failure of this revival is a testament to the incredible x-factor that is Barbra Streisand.

In fact, Fanny Brice’s name lives on, in part, because of Barbra’s unbeatable portrayal of her. And that makes her truly one of the greatest stars of all time.

Funny Girl is playing now at the August Wilson Theatre.