Dueling Critics: Private Lives and Funny Girl

Dueling Critics: Private Lives and Funny Girl
Scene of 'Funny Girl.'
Dueling Critics: Private Lives and Funny Girl
Scene of 'Funny Girl.'

Dueling Critics: Private Lives and Funny Girl

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One show is witty and urbane, the other is bold and brassy. One show is veddy veddy English, the other is as American as apple pie. The shows are Private Lives and Funny Girl. So other than the fact that both shows happen to be playing right now in the Chicago area, what else could they possibly have in common? The answer is director Gary Griffin. The Rockford native made a splash on Broadway a few years back with The Color Purple. He also garnered high praise last summer for West Side Story at Canada’s famed Stratford Festival. How’s he juggling two shows at once? Eight Forty-Eight’s dueling and juggling critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Kelly Kleiman give is the latest.

On stage: 
Private Lives

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Through March 7 

Funny Girl
Drury Lane Oak Brook
Through March 7

Music Button: Barbara Streisand, “People”, from the CD Ultimate Broadway, (Arista)