MY FAIR LADY in Sheffield

[Owen22]

The highlight of my recent trip to the UK, I'm only starting this as there oddly isn't a post about such a marvelous production. All the leads are exquisite (including Louis Maskell who I first read about right here regarding his performance in The Fix). If any one saw the promise of Carly Bawden's Katherine in the Menier's Pippin (the greatest Katherine I've ever seen) it comes to complete fruition as her Eliza is perfection (or as close to it as possible, no one has the freak voice to completely sell some of those songs, except, seemingly, Andrews and Nixon). Go. See. Now. Cause with Dominic's schedule and repeat of The River in the West End, there's little chance, sadly, that this piece of musical theatre art will transfer.

[Phantom of London]

I saw this on Friday and it is brilliant.

[246015]

I'm going to see this next Thursday (27th December) and cannot WAIT! "My Fair Lady" is an extremely special show to me, and I have heard great things about this production. All the reviews I have read have been extremely positive. Although, can anyone tell me what the seating is like when you are side on from the stage?

[Scripps2]

"Although, can anyone tell me what the seating is like when you are side on from the stage?"

Reasonably good. It's a thrust stage similar to the Chichester Festival. Productions are usually directed with the side audiences considered.

[246015]

I saw yesterday’s matinee, and while I thought it was quite good, it didn't blow me away and I certainly didn't think it was worthy of the many five-star reviews that it has received in the press.

For starters, the casting was slightly hit and miss. Yes, Freddy is a thankless role, but I didn't think that Louis Maskell was good at all. I don't know whether it was because he wanted to make the role his own, but whatever he was trying to do, or indeed directed to do, he just didn't pull it off. I also didn't rate Martyn Ellis as Doolittle. The leads fared slightly better. Dominic West did well as Higgins and charted his growing love for Eliza throughout the piece nicely. I didn't think his ‘A Hymn To Him’ was particularly successfulI and I didn't like all of his line readings; he could have let go more in certain scenes (I am thinking particularly in Act Two when he loses his temper with Eliza after their success at the ball) but I am being picky. He also can’t sing for toffee, but that doesn’t particularly matter for this role. Carly Bawden acted Eliza well but I didn’t like her singing. At times I didn't think she was going to hit the notes, particularly at the end of ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ and the voice overall wasn’t strong enough. Again, she was good but I don’t understand all of the raves she is getting. I think there have been much better people in the role. I'd love to see Sierra Boggess take Eliza on!

I liked the revolving set, and the changes between scenes were very slick. Sometimes the pacing seemed a bit off and actors ran through certain lines at lightning speed making for more than a few stumbles. Also, some of the laughs didn’t always land and some of the dramatic moments weren’t fully realised (for example, Eliza’s entrance at the ball). The thrust stage of the Crucible also isn't always the best in terms of blocking. Sometimes one can have an obstructed view because a chorus member is stood directly in front of a lead, so you are just left seeing backs and therefore the action is sometimes missed.

I liked the unsentimental approach of the ending (a sort of face-off of the sexes) but I do think the book is written in such a way that Eliza should leave Higgins, however this is more a fault of the piece than the production itself (though it COULD be directed so that she leaves him).

Overall a good production, but not one of my favourites of the year.

*******

I would also just like to mention Dominic McHugh's wonderful ‘My Fair Lady’ Exhibition in the foyer of the Crucible Theatre. It was great to see such rare artefacts up-close, such as the Playbill and Poster from the Original Broadway Production, an Original Broadway Cast LP signed by Julie Andrews and a number of fascinating letters - one discussing possible composers for a musical adaptation of ‘Pygmalion’ (composers such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter were first muted for the project), another discussing possible casting choices for the two leads (Judy Garland and Mary Martin were first approached for Eliza and Noel Coward was wanted for Higgins - in fact there is another letter to Coward from Lerner & Loewe asking him to meet them to discuss the show), a letter from Fritz Loewe to Julie Andrews and a handwritten letter from Fred Astaire to Loewe saying how much he enjoyed the show. The Exhibition was meant as a companion piece to McHugh's recently published book ‘Loverly: The Life and Times of My Fair Lady’. Has anyone had chance to read this? I was slightly interested before but even more so now. I think I will have to get myself a copy.

[Scripps2]

Interesting - thanks for that. I must admit I was suspicious of the 5-star reviews.

[Dubliner]

I'm seeing it next week - really looking forward to it after such a brilliant Company last year.

[Outoftowner2]

It's time for My Fair Lady in the West End.

[Owen22]

I disagree with everything 246015 said about each individual performance. I'm sure he would LOVE for Freddy to come to the apron of the stage and just sing "Street Where You Live" and that's that. What Maskell does is what a lot of today's young musical theatre actors do (thank god) and approach the role from a character standpoint. He thought through every line, he imbues each with character. He is magnificent. I did not see Sierra in Les Miz, she might be good, but in Phantom 2 SHE COULDN'T ACT!!!! How absurd to think she would be a better Liza than the wonderful Carly Bawden...my god. Do not let his negative opinion deter you, those five star reviews were there for a reason.

[luke-h***]

If their FANTASTIC production of Company last year is anything to go by, I am very disappointed to be missing this.

[246015]

With all due respect Owen22, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I most certainly stick by mine.

I am all for an actor making a role their own, and I certainly do not want Maskell to just stand and sing ‘On The Street Where You Live’ (it would be SO boring if he did) but his interpretation of the role just wasn’t to my taste. Sometimes less is more.

With regards to Sierra as Eliza, I do not think that her previous roles are particularly indicative of her acting prowess, as they did not give her much to work with (though for the record, I think that she CAN act), and I would very much like to see what she would do with the role of Eliza. I know that the part requires a great actress, and as I said in my review, I thought Bawden was good but not brilliant as reviews have made out.

I was very much looking forward to this production. I enjoyed the Crucible’s ‘Company’ last year and as I said, their ‘My Fair Lady’ has its merits, but it is hardly a five-star production. I do not want to deter anyone from seeing the production, on the contrary I would encourage people to go if they can and make up their own minds.