My Fair Lady

It was Spring 2009 when this musical  was last performed by the Society and it was a joy to see this vibrant production in an immersive, innovative vision come to life, using every available inch of the Memorial Hall. A challenge indeed taken on by Adam Bunting-Smith in his debut directorial role plus devising choreography stretching the skills of the whole of his cast. Chair, Jo Jo with her enormous enthusiasm joined Adam as his Assistant. Musically, experienced MD Lesley guided the quality vocals and unseen 7-piece Band and with the professional sound system provided by SA Events, atmospheric lighting design from Chris Packham, both the vocals and witty dialogue were executed with confidence by the whole cast.

The open stage showed teacher of phonetics Professor Henry Higgins' extensive library. Curtained entrances led into the house interior either side of the raised balcony with a staircase running to stage level. This area was dressed with a large working desk, chaise longue, and several chairs. Centre stage was a framed screen that projected various other locations, I did actually find  this to be somewhat distracting. On floor level for the opening scene in Covent Garden flowers were strategically placed  with a brassiere and wooden crates which doubled as seating, a lamp standard, a barrow stood against the bricked edges of the stage plus a lamp standard giving an early morning market feel for the opening number. Franck Hoedemaker and the Director jointly designed, and it came to life with the hard work of set build team. The whole picture was framed with huge colourful flowers. Good props were acquired by Carrie Beeson – not always an easy task particularly for earlier eras.

Costumes were numerous with Libby Grainger and her wardrobe team once again creating magic ranging from Cockney costermongers and flower girls being colourful, nice touches with shawls, waistcoats, scarves and flat caps and good footwear, Opera evening wear, the household uniforms/livery, the elegance of tea at the Ascot races, and the Embassy Ball,  Eliza’s transition was stunning and her timing and poise descending the stairs was so very confident. The smartness of Pickering, his smoking jacket and of course the tweeds of Higgins, the pork pie hat and cardigan and not forgetting his ‘blasted’ slippers.

Adam’s movement for the big numbers was challenging and the ensemble certainly gave their all in mastering quite difficult steps. I particularly enjoyed Doolittle’s ‘I’m Getting Married in the Morning’ so full of energy led by a powerful Mick Woodhams. The ballroom movement too was updated and was also well executed.

Molly Hill did such justice to the wonderful character of Eliza both as a ‘squashed cabbage leaf', to a most elegant lady in not only her acting ability but with her vocals. Congratulations – by Jove you did it!! Playing her Professor Higgins was the unstoppable Gareth Brighton who always comes up trumps with his characterisations and I loved his familiar ‘speak’ songs. David Baxter was a very dapper and agile Colonel Pickering with some great comedy coming across – loved his business with the draping of the sash. Harry Gentry played a charming lovesick Freddy and sang a beautiful ‘On The Street Where You Live.’ Performing the two matriarch ladies were Rosemary Walker as Mrs Higgins who has some wonderful cutting lines looking most elegant and Charlotte Collins as Mrs Eynsford-Hill delightful with her facial expressions with that great line ‘You surely don’t believe your Aunt was killed!!' Rowan Ringrose transformed from a man from Hoxton to Professor Zoltan Karpathy with flair, Melissa Hall looked and performed a kindly and patient Mrs Pearce, whilst other members of the cast took on the many other characters to complete this most enjoyable production of still my all-time favourite musical. Congratulations to the company undertaking multiple tasks behind the scenes, front of house, running of the bar,  raffle, publicity and well-presented programme

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