Funny Girl Announces Transfer To Savoy Theatre

Sheridan Smith. Photo: Greg Williams. The producers of Funny Girl must have been in their element a few months ago when their new production of Funny Girl went on sale at the Menier Chocolate Factory. All of the tickets for the run were sold in a little over 90 minutes leaving many disappointed. Those same producers have announced this morning that Sheridan Smith will take to the stage at London's Savoy Theatre for a strictly limited season of 12 weeks only from 9th April 2016 until 2 July 2016. Book tickets for the Savoy Theatre now.

David Babani, Artistic Director of Menier Chocolate Factory, said today, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for Funny Girl – the show broke Menier box office records when it sold out its entire run in just 90 minutes. We felt it was very important to respond to demand so we’re delighted to be joining forces with Sonia Friedman and Scott Landis to give Funny Girl a future life".

This will be the first time that Funny Girl has been seen in the West End since 1966 when Barbra Streisand reprised the role that made her a star on Broadway.

Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail broke news of the transfer . Wondering how the classic has been updated now that it's back in London? Harvey Fierstein, who reworked the book for Funny Girl's UK return, said he immediately cut 40 pages from the script. "There was a diamond in there and it needed to be cut out," he told the Mail. "It's not that I've cut it to make it shorter -- I've edited it to make it stronger." Fierstein added that he "reshaped the show so it's all seen through Brice's eyes."

Other changes include excising two songs, repositioning others, and adding in two previously unused tunes by Styne & Merrill -- now part of the show for the first time.

TICKETS FOR FUNNY GIRL AT THE SAVOY THEATRE ARE NOW ON SALE