Sheridan Smith In Triumphant Stage Return After 'Technical Failure' Ended Show

Sheridan Returns To The Stage, After 'Drunk' Performance Accusations

Sheridan Smith won a standing ovation as she returned to the stage for her West End musical a day after the show was cut short due to a "technical failure".

The 'Cilla' actress earlier denied that the performance of Funny Girl was cancelled after she sounded drunk on stage.

Sheridan Smith

According to audience members the curtain came down 35 minutes into Thursday night's performance before being called off completely after a lengthy wait.

Smith, 34, plays US actress and comedienne Fanny Brice, who died in 1951, in the semi-biographical Broadway musical currently showing at the Savoy Theatre.

After Friday night's performance fans gave rave reviews, taking to Twitter to praise the actress and her co-stars.

Musician Oliver Mansfield said: "Fantastic performance of @FunnyGirl_UK @SavoyTheatreLdn standing ovation which which was received incredibly emotionally."

Smith "was just superb", fan Jamie McFarlane said, adding: Bloody love that girl!"

Rona Hunnisett wrote: "Wow. Just wow. @sheridansmith in #FunnyGirl. No superlatives left. Just see it."

Smith later emerged from the stage door smiling before posing for photos with fans.

However, some theatregoers voiced their concern for Smith over reports of the aborted show.

Fiona Ann Bennett wrote: "I do hope #SheridanSmith is OK. Saw her in #FunnyGirl last weekend, she was amazing. Being a star can be hard :-("

As Thursday's performance got under way theatregoer Emma John tweeted: "At Funny Girl. Haven't seen it before. Is Sheridan Smith's character supposed to sound a bit drunk? Strange artistic decision if so."

Six minutes later the deputy editor of the Observer Magazine added that the musical had paused "(lengthily) with "technical problems".

Public relations consultant Chloe Nelkin described hearing boos as the show was cancelled after a 40-minute wait, before adding: "So various stories circulating about why @FunnyGirl_UK @Sheridansmith1 was stopped mid-show tonight. Be good if the theatre explained why!"

The Savoy Theatre offered to exchange the audience's tickets, adding: "Apologies to all affected by tonight's technical failure at Funny Girl."

A spokeswoman for Smith told The Sun the suggestion the actress was drunk was "categorically not true".

Smith previously performed the role of Brice, made famous on film by Barbra Streisand, in a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory where she pulled out of performances after her father was taken ill.

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