My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady is a classic musical with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story is based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play ‘Pygmalion’ and on the 1938 film adaptation of that play. It opened on Broadway in 1956 and won 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical. It came to Drury Lane Theatre in London’s West End in 1958 and ran for 2281 performances. There have been many revivals, the most recent being for 16 weeks in the London Coliseum in 2022.

This is the fourth time Portrush MS has performed My Fair Lady – previously in 1978, 1989 and 2002. As Coleraine’s Riverside Theatre is presently experiencing difficulties, they performed in Coleraine Leisure Centre as they have for the last 2 years - an amazing transformation from sports hall to performance space accommodating an audience of around 400 and a good-sized stage with some wing space. The Set, designed by Director Kerry Kane, was a permanent back row of 3 white Arched French Windows with tall stairs stage left, and a door each side at the front of the stage. It was built and painted by members of PMS. The staircase came into use when the stage became Higgins’ study where Props were appropriate for the study of phonetics around 1913. Lovely flowers featured in the market scenes and typical garden furniture of the era for Mrs Higgins’ home. I would have liked to see a bigger sign outside the pub to identify it. Lighting was well designed and Sound very well balanced. Costumes for the ladies were beautiful, especially those for Eliza. I understand that the Director herself designed, made or altered hers, and every piece was suitable for the moment – especially her white, diamond encrusted ball gown with diamond neck choker and tiara. There was a palpable gasp from the audience when Eliza appeared at the top of the stairs dressed in her gown! Cloaks, tails, smoking jackets and working men’s clothing were all authentic for the male cast too.

Having only joined PMS last year Lindsay Johnson was thrust into the limelight as Eliza – filling the role with consummate ease. Beginning as a working-class street flower seller she showed the resourcefulness and determination of Eliza to improve her social standing by “learning to speak proper” and her journey under the tutelage of Professor Higgins was very convincing. Lindsay employed excellent acting ability with great facial expressions and her soaring soprano voice was at its best in the beautiful “I could have Danced All Night”. I also loved the expression in “Just You Wait”! As she practised in company with the ‘upper classes’ she truly exhibited the correct etiquette but was still the girl who had a view of her own self-worth. 

As Eliza’s teacher, Professor Higgins, Aiden Hughes was in his element. Moving from a rather cold  and narcissistic man who knew he was a brilliant phonetics expert, he mellowed somewhat as a good friend of Colonel Pickering. Younger than many actors who have played Higgins, Aiden put a  slightly different slant on his portrayal which was refreshing (although he was still annoyingly indifferent to others’ needs!) His singing of the famous words mostly ‘spoken’ by the original Rex Harrison, was accomplished and intriguing. His “where the devil are my slippers” at the end of the show made us wonder if there could be a future for the two together!

Tim Brown was Colonel Pickering and gave an excellent performance as a man with more compassion and understanding than Higgins. Still very much a confirmed bachelor and as a former British Military Officer his manners were impeccable. His stage rapport with both Higgins and Eliza was good. 

Bringing good comedy to the piece was Aaron Jamieson as Eliza’s father Alfred P. Doolittle. A charismatic character, his boisterous persona (who was sometimes the worse for drink!),  was very well judged and he was well backed by his two ‘mates’, Harry and Jamie ((Darren McGuigan & Andy Shaw). Andy’s ‘drunken’ acting was very much in evidence(!)  while Darren , who was always energetic and in good voice, turned up in many other small roles during the show! Mrs Pearce (Emma Thorpe) was portrayed as a typical and very British housekeeper who slightly “nannied” Higgins and took a strong managerial role in her employer’s house!

With nearly ethereal grace, Elaine Macauley floated in and out as Higgins’ mother. Looking every bit the matriarch, she provided insightful advice and comment to both her son and Eliza. It’s a pity this excellent portrayal of an upper-class lady did not provide a chance to sing! A tenor voice worth hearing was David Mitchell as Freddy Eynsford-Hill, the rather silly love-sick admirer of Eliza. “On the Street where You Live” has seldom been better sung. Freddy’s mother, Mrs Eynsford-Hill (Brenda Tosh) was suitably upper class as were Lord and Lady Boxington (Darren McGuigan & Maggie Ferris-Curran) and the Queen of Transylvania (Addis Blair). The former student of Professor Higgins – Hungarian Professor Zoltan Karpathy (Colin Pascoe) – was convincingly pompous and self-important.

The 30 strong Ensemble was superbly engaged in the action and choral singing was impressive. Some members stepped out to take small roles – for instance the costermongers became a cockney Barber Shop Quartet for “Wouldn’t it be Loverly”.

Musically, under the directorship of Terry Cloughley, this production offered much and both Orchestra and Cast were well led. Choreography by Rosemary O’Connor was lively and well devised for all levels of fitness and ability. Overall direction for this very lengthy musical was pacey and always interesting. I would have to be picky to find fault within it. My thanks to each and everyone involved for a great evening’s entertainment – and for the welcome and hospitality given to James and me. Although soon to be retiring , I will return like a bad penny, to see your productions!

 

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