My Fair Lady

This classic well-known musical certainly proved to be a popular and successful choice for this Society in their Centenary year, playing to capacity houses throughout the run. 

After a lively musical introduction Eliza entered forming a striking silhouette, the outline of her costume, hat, and flower basket unmistakable, against the Covent Garden backdrop, and as the lights  came up the Company gathered around the “warmth” of a large brazier set DSL, baskets of flowers abounded, and the “Covent Garden” stencilled boxes were a nice touch.

Staging was simple but effective with well-designed back projection depicting the various scenes, and  furniture brought on as required by the efficient and smartly dressed back-stage crew  together with the cast. Higgins’s rooms were well represented, and the red leather armchairs were particularly impressive.

The character of Eliza the Cockney flower-seller was strongly  established from the start. With excellent expression throughout this performer, also responsible for the outstanding choreography, “whined and snivelled” profusely, sang beautifully  and certainly “got it” making a superb transition into a lady fit for “high society”.

The misogynistic Henry Higgins was also perfectly played, debonair but pompous he strutted around  showing absolutely no consideration for Eliza’s feelings at all until finally admitting  that he had perhaps “grown accustomed to her face”. Colonel Pickering provided the just the right foil and was much warmer and more sympathetic towards Eliza. The moment at the beginning when the two gentlemen inadvertently “bumped” into each other outside the Opera House was priceless and  there was another lovely moment on the telephone when Pickering contacted an old “chum” at the Home Office after 30 years! 

The role of Mrs Pearce the housekeeper was another delightful performance, understatedly played her expressions  conveyed her feelings admirably, and the scene after the Ball when the two “gentlemen” self-satisfyingly congratulated each  other was particularly well done.

Alfred Doolittle worked his socks off in the part, earnestly proclaiming he was a respectable man but still trying to earn a little “dosh” on the side. Get Me to the Church, complete with a bevy of red-clad “can-can” dancers, was great fun and he was well supported by his two “chums” always in and out of the pub much to the annoyance  of the irascible Innkeeper!

A veteran of many terrific roles on this stage the experience of the performer playing Mrs Higgins shone through, her timing and expression faultless, showing both her frustration with her son’s antics and an immediate empathy with Eliza. 

Freddie sang well and made an endearing warm character and was well accompanied by his very his “upper crust” Mama, both slipping back frequently into the chorus for other scenes, as did the very convincing Hungarian Ambassador.

Mention must be made of three long-standing members of the Company who gave sterling support throughout the production. 

The two gentlemen playing the cameo roles of the Policeman/Selsey Man and Charles/Footman, and the Queen of Transylvania, all three  popping in and out of the chorus all the time in various guises.

The Queen was impressively attired and made a particularly striking entrance. Audience members of a “certain” age will remember fondly Her Majesty’s mother performing on the same stage for many years, making a poignant link as well with her granddaughters in the chorus. 

The strong and energetic chorus had a lot to do, changing constantly from servants and maids to Cockneys and Aristocrats, even down to the whiskers! Poor Professor Higgins made for a memorable scene, but they were all just outstanding through the whole piece - life backstage must have been very interesting though! 

Sadly, missing this year was a very special member of the team who always worked tirelessly and quietly behind the scenes with his gentle and unassuming manner, together with one of SMT’s main sponsors, and the production was dedicated to them both.

This was a sensitively and very well directed production, with an excellent orchestra under an experienced MD, supported by the NODA President who kindly stepped to take up the baton early on. The choreography throughout was superb and excellently performed, the costumes were fantastic and beautifully co-ordinated - the Ascot hats were “absolutely fabulous.”

Everything came together to make a stunning production which was simply  “luverly” in every way and very much  deserved the enthusiastic and thunderous applause received at the end – well done!

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what they see at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance, and it is inevitable that their assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

 

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