The Funny Girls at New Wimbledon Theatre
London theatre news: Wednesday 7 July 2021
Comedy - Off-West End - Shows
Barbra Streisand and Joan Rivers reunite in a brand new comedy 'The Funny Girls' - heading to the New Wimbledon Theatre this September.
Image courtesy New Wimbledon Theatre
Roy Smiles' comedy The Funny Girls will get a short run from 17 to 24 September as part of a new Premieres Season, which is celebrating new writing, at Ambassador Theatre Group's Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre.
The show brings together two legendary talents in a brand new, 'what if' comedy, which explores the fantastical clash of ego and dreams between two young starlets: Barbara Streisand and Joan Rivers.
This fictional reunion spawns from the pair's infamous gig before their time in the spotlight, finding companionship in a short-lived off-off-off Broadway production.
Directed by Michael Strassen, Mia Tomlinson (The Beast Must Die, Britbox; The Lost Pirate Kingdom, Netflix) will step into the shoes of Joan Rivers, while Rosanna Harris (Grease, UK tour) will play Barbra Streisand.
Producer Thomas Hopkins commented ...
"Having produced Kurt and Sid with Danny Dyer and Shaun Evans in 2009 at Trafalgar Studios, I'm delighted to have the opportunity to share Roy Smiles' new comedy in collaboration with the Ambassador Theatre Group and New Wimbledon Theatre for their special season for new writing.
The team and I couldn't be more excited to showcase the phenomenal talents of Mia Tomlinson and Rosanna Harris in this hilarious new production."
If you can't make the run at New Wimbledon Theatre, you may be interested to know that The Funny Girls is also set to tour later in the year, with details to be announced - worth keeping an eye out for.
Show listing information
Synopsis
When Barbra Streisand was nineteen she was no superstar.
She was sleeping on her mother's couch.
Her step father was making nose jokes.
She was working in a Chinese restaurant.
In an attempt to get out of Brooklyn she has a dream: to act.
Thus she finds herself in an off-off-off Broadway production.
The play is lousy.
The theatre is a shabby upstairs room.
The woman playing her lesbian stalker?
A recently divorced twenty four year old Joan Rivers.
Joan is living with her parents.
She wants to break out of her dull middle class life.
Before she dreamed of being a comedian?
She was going to be an actress.
Thus she shares a shabby stage in a shabby theatre with the young, insecure Streisand.
On this night Streisand's mother has come to see the show.
Barbra knows her mother will criticise.
She knows her mother will dump on her dreams.
She is terrified to face her.
It's up to Joan Rivers to talk her into going on stage: to become the star she will surely be.
There is an agent in to see the show.
It's Rivers' big chance.
She will get Streisand on stage come hell or high water.
Mayhem ensues.
Fast forward ten years: Streisand is playing Vegas.
She is a huge star.
Rivers is now a hugely successful comedian.
The toast of The Tonight Show.
She comes to visit Barbra.
Both believe they are the most talented Jewish woman on the planet.
One of them is wrong....
THE FUNNY GIRLS explores the egos & dreams of two of the greatest talents of their generation.
They're funny, they're pissed off, they're - The Funny Girls.
A comedy for two.
Cast
Rosanna Harris
Mia Tomlinson
Creatives
Author: Roy Smiles
Director: Michael Strassen
Designer: Jean Gray
Lighting: Andrew Exeter
Sound: Dan Sampson
Production: Thomas Hopkins in association with Debbie Chazen and Guy Chapman
Venue
London
SW19 1QG
Dates
From: Friday 17 September 2021
Closes: Friday 24 September 2021
Tickets
Standard: From £11
Links
Show website
ActDrop full listing for The Funny Girls
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