Irma Vep, Persuasion, and Funny Girl

Published: July 19, 2022, 9 a.m.

We discuss Irma Vep and Persuasion, two adaptations whose necessity some have called into question.

02:23 Irma Vep, streaming on HBO Max, is a strange, fascinating creature, half intertextual wink and half showbiz dramedy.

19:01 Netflix’s adaptation of Persuasion may have kept Jane Austen’s plot intact, but little of the source material’s spirit remains.

37:29 Plus, culture notes breaking down the ultimate theatre kid drama that is the Beanie Feldstein/Lea Michele/Funny Girl mess.

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Music: REEKAH

Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu