Pygmalion

Theatre goers are leaving the Royal Theatre House on a cold, wet March night and the Eynsford Hill family are looking for a taxi as it starts to rain. Huddled against the columns of St Pauls are costermongers, a common flower gal, Colonel Pickering and out of sight taking notes on the fascinating dialects around him Professor Higgins master of speech, a great linguist particularly interested in the peculiarities of dialect. The three collide and she bemoans ‘two bunches of violets trod in the mud, a full day’s wages.’ A chance meeting – Pickering,  retired officer from India has returned to meet Higgins and he was to travel to India to meet him - agreeing Pickering should stay at 27a Wimpole Street Higgins suggests that in six months he could turn this ‘squashed cabbage leaf into a duchess’. This classic, timeless beautifully written tale, first performed in London in 1914, from Shaw themes the difference between the social classes and manners and interacts them.

Higgins himself despite his education and good upbringing certainly lacks manners and respect and has no awareness of the effect this has on the people around him.  Keith Miller discovers his character and conveys volumes of script well and achieves a certain charisma too. The great description of him comes from Eliza’s line ‘so you are a motorbus, all bounce and go with no consideration for anyone.’  Deciding to abandon the ‘cardigan’ look, preferring a dark suit was an interesting one and this worked for me.

Author of ‘Spoken Sanskrit’  the Colonel – a gentleman with good manners is elegantly played by tall,  Ian Saxton as a complete contrast, but again fails to see the consequences of such a bet. Our flower gal who turned into a butterfly was beautifully played by splendid young newcomer Amelie Manning, again a huge challenge of script and transformation and we look forward to seeing her again in forthcoming productions.

Long suffering Mrs. Pearce, the housekeeper was Charlotte Eastes, whilst stately Mrs. Higgins who knows her son’s strange habits and behaviour well is calmly performed by the elegant Kerry Gentleman. Sarah Bragoli captured the wonderfully snobbish Mrs. Eynsford-Hill with aplomb accompanied by her daughter Clara a delightful Jessamy Read who surprises us with some ripe ‘small talk.’  Her doey eyed brother Freddy was articulately performed by Wilf Truscott,  also a new asset to the Players.

Other larger than life characters were of course dustman Alfred P Doolittle, Eliza’s dad with stalwart Steve Hill turning him into a wealthy toff, whilst another new member David MacDonald has much fun as Higgins frightful pupil, the self-proclaimed master linguist Neppomuck who announces that Eliza ‘is Hungarian and of royal blood’ who maintains a great accent – loved the beard. Other cameo roles were taken by Debbie McLean and Bez Cuss. A cohesive team production all under the watchful eye of Judy who passively guided the well understood and loved play to an excellent performance level. A very nice belated birthday present! Use of the side aisle for action gave the air of outside space, particularly using umbrellas when stage space was limited.

A big challenge for the set design and build for Trevor Lewing and his team but as usual this was overcome, and a superb setting appeared before us using one big main set as Higgins library with some panel exchanges for Mrs. Higgins drawing room working extremely well with speed and quietness. The insets for other locations worked well, limiting space available to work in but time saving. Furniture of the period was good and the there was an air of elegance with the dressing – beautiful phonograph placed upstage perfect. Doors were spot on with good lighting plot and sound effects well co-ordinated although a little too loud  on the opening scene making it difficult to hear script. However, this was rectified.

Wardrobe mistress Sandi Mouzer’s swansong was first class for all characters with thanks also to the Stables Theatre for their assistance to create a perfect picture. To all the unseen heroes take a bow too. A most enjoyable performance enjoyed by an almost full hall.

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