My Fair Lady

It’s always a pleasure to visit The Plowright and wonderful to see a classic musical on the stage.  Brigg AOS have definitely backed a winner putting on My Fair Lady.  With great production numbers, an enthusiastic cast and a super set, all enhanced by a wonderful orchestra, lead by Simon Percy, playing this beautiful score.  From the moment the overture began it was clear we were in for a ‘loverly’ show.  The ensemble routines were brought to life by the cast under the instruction of choreographer Jo Hageman.  Well known songs were delivered with conviction and the music, dance and acting all worked well together - a real credit to Director Jacky Bacon.

As well as a large cast of ensemble, servants chorus and several supporting roles there was a very strong principal line-up.  John Parsons playing Alfie P Doolittle was most enjoyable and ‘I’m Getting Married in the Morning’ was super.  Similarly, I was most impressed with Parsons’ delivery of some complex narrative when he explains how he has come into his fortune as well as presenting his own rather unique reflections on morality. Jeannine Ridha was a warm Mrs Higgins offering Eliza comfort and shelter whilst dismissing her own sons’ inadequacies.  Ridha found the comedy in Mrs Higgins which can be lost. 

Harry Lawrence was an excellent Freddy Eynsford-Hill and his list of credits in the programme was really no surprise.  A very strong performance with excellent singing and a lovely understanding of this character’s love of Eliza.  Gavin Cooke as Colonel Pickering was confident, assured and well-cast in this role which he portrayed so well.  Dan Holtby as Henry Higgins captured the blundering, stubborn and somewhat eccentric nature of this character.  With several solos and lots of challenging lib he was a pleasure to watch.

However, the night belonged to Kate Holtby as Eliza Doolittle.  She was a quintessential Eliza and her transition from flower girl to lady was spot on.  The role includes a huge amount of challenging accent work, all of which Holtby maintains perfectly whilst also showing the growth of the character from ‘lowly’ flower girl to someone who can hold their own at Buckingham Palace.  Her singing in every song was impeccable and she commanded the stage with a natural ease.  There was a wonderful undercurrent of humour to her portrayal of this iconic role and she never missed a comic beat – An absolute delight to watch.  Whilst a beautiful musical with fabulous music the original play, Pygmalion, by George Bernard was a commentary on the British Class system and when Doolittle delivers the line that “the only difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how she is treated” Holtby certainly captured the poignancy of this statement.

The show includes eighteen scene changes and these were well planned and effectively delivered by the hard-working stage crew including changes of backdrop.  Props and set pieces were period appropriate and light and sound used well.  Costumes were excellent and despite some modern adaptations changing the colour of Ascot it was wonderful to see it in it’s original black and white.

Director Jacky Bacon and Musical Director Simon Percy should be commended on taking on this well-known script and score, because there are certain expectations around such a piece, but they executed it perfectly and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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