Photo Flash: Go Inside FUNNY GIRL Rehearsal, Starring Sheridan Smith

Due to unprecedented demand, the Menier Chocolate Factory Production of Funny Girl transfers to the Savoy Theatre in London's West End, following the sold out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory which begins later this month. Michael Mayer's production, starring Olivier and BAFTA award-winning actress Sheridan Smith as Fanny Brice and with the cast from the Menier Chocolate Factory, will begin performances at the Savoy Theatre on 9 April 2016 for a strictly limited 12-week run until 2 July 2016. Check out first photos from the production below!

Tickets will go on general sale from 10am Monday 16 November.

David Babani, Artistic Director of Menier Chocolate Factory, says, "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. We want to share it with as wide an audience as possible and to make Michael Mayer's production as accessible to all, we're offering £15 day seats - available for every performance at the Savoy Theatre."

Sonia Friedman and Scott Landis says, "2016 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the original London production of Funny Girl. It's enormously exciting to be bringing this legendary musical back to the West End for the first time since 1966, in a brand new production starring the incredible Sheridan Smith. We are also thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the hugely gifted, multi-award winning Broadway director Michael Mayer."

With music by Jule Styne (whose musical Gypsy is currently running at the Savoy Theatre, starring Imelda Staunton), lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, the Broadway smash which skyrocketed Barbra Streisand to stardom, is revived with book revisions by Harvey Fierstein. Sheridan Smith plays Fanny Brice, who rose from being a Brooklyn music hall singer to become one of Broadway's biggest stars under producer Florenz Ziegfeld. While she was cheered onstage as a great comedienne, offstage she faced a doomed relationship with the man she loved. With a score featuring now-classic songs such as "People", "You Are Woman, I Am Man" and "Don't Rain on My Parade", this brand new production promises to be a major theatrical event.

Photo credit: Marc Brenner