Meet Fanny Mendelssohn. You'll probably know of her younger brother Felix, from nineteenth-century smash hits like 'The Wedding March'. He was such a huge star that Queen Victoria requested a private concert, during which she sang her favourite of his compositions, a song called 'Italien'. The only problem is, that particular piece was actually composed by Fanny, though it was published under her brother's name. When Fanny intercepts the letter inviting Felix to play for the queen, she decides to hide it away, don her brother's clothes, and take his place at the palace… Calum Finlay's play Fanny is a joyful and irreverent comedy celebrating music, family and - at last - the work of a composer overlooked because of her sex. It opened at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury, in 2024.
"'A wonderfully witty and well-informed delight, earthy and elegant by turn... catch this while you can - a warm, funny, life-enhancing and eye-opening musical comedy'"
WhatsOnStage
"'A riotous, irreverent yet enthralling play... brisk and light-hearted with plenty of laughs... hilarious'"
Broadway World
"'Incredible... this note-perfect tale of sibling rivalry and forgotten musical genius is a comedy masterpiece... a superlative slice of Mischief-adjacent shenanigans... full of rapid-fire verbal gags, convincingly painful slapstick, creative staging, well-rounded leads and brilliantly quirky oddballs... sublime'"
Broadway World (2025)
"'All I can say is move over Mincemeat, this play does not go wrong... say hello to the best new farce we've had in a while... Fanny has real potential to create a splash on the London theatre scene'"
West End Wilma
"'A raucous evening of slapstick, satire, and soul, Fanny is both a celebration and a reclamation. It is clever, riotously funny, and unexpectedly moving. This is a story that demands to be heard-finally, and gloriously, on Fanny Mendelssohn's own terms'"
