IT was a courageous act by BLOG when they choose My Fair Lady for their 2024 production at Bath’s Theatre Royal. I can almost here the cries of “How can you say that, My Fair Lady is one of the all time great musicals, so why did it take courage to choose it ?” The answer is that they were prepared to present it along traditional lines, allowing the show’s multitude of fans to make comparisons with those legendary 1956 New York and 1958 Drury Lane productions that starred Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway and Robert Coote.
The two recent highly-praised productions by the Lincoln Center Theatre and Opera North and Leeds Playhouse both made drastic changes to the original Lerner and Loewe concept of George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, as well as Oliver Smith and Cecil Beaton’s legendary sets and costume designs. They felt that, classic or not, now it was in its 69th year the show needed a fresh, more in-depth production if it was to appeal to a 2024 audience.
Taking courage in both hands, BLOG decided that the original still had a great deal to offer, and with MD Matthew Finch showing the same enthusiasm as he did when first taking over the baton for a BLOG show more than 25 years ago, the 18-piece orchestra immediately produced sounds that showed that Frederick Loewe’s score has lost none of its charm and effect over the decades.
Among a plethora of memorable songs, all fitting the storyline like a hand-made pair of chamois leather gloves, are two ensemble numbers – With a Little Bit of Luck, and Get Me to the Church on Time. They are the big chance for the choreographer, the actor playing Alfred P Doolittle and the ensemble to show off their skills. Never pushing them beyond their comfort zones, Alison Price made sure the numbers went with a swing.
It was in the group’s 1980 production of this show that Geoff White made his debut at the Theatre Royal, and he has not missed one of their productions on that stage since that date. Still full of ebullient enthusiasm. Geoff once again led the company in a show-stopping number.
Some very big boots were awaiting Tabitha Cox and Rob Dallimore to fill in the roles of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. Whilst their two dramatic scenes together, the slipper scene and final confrontation in the garden of Mrs Higgins (the elegant Julia Padfield), didn’t capture all the potential brittle comedy, when they took their well-honed characters into song they were in complete command of Eliza and Henry, painting indelible portraits.
Wilfred Hyde White always swore that if Shaw had disliked him personally he could not have written him a less rewarding role that of Colonel Pickering, with hardly a note to sing and few memorable lines. Never forcing the issue, Bob Constantine accepted his role as stooge to Eliza, Higgins and Helen Feierabend’s brusque housekeeper Mrs Pearce, with aplomb.
Another underused character is Freddy Eynsford-Hill, but taking full advantage of the melodic On the Street Where You Live, Ed Corbishley produced an excellent portrait of the over-educated socially out-of-date young Edwardian gentleman.
If the group was ever in an doubt as to whether or not this show had passed its best and was no longer acceptable in its original form, the warm reception afforded by the audience at the final curtain should have quelled such fears. This well-mounted traditional production of My Fir Lady remains at Bath’s Theatre Royal until Saturday 14th September.
GRP
PS – As the lords and ladies lined up for the Ascot Gavotte, director Claudia Pepler-White had all eyes turned to the left to watch the horses approach the winning line. As any regular racegoer will tell you, if you are standing in the Royal Enclosure or Tattersalls ring the horses racing towards the winning line, whether on the round course, or like the Royal precession coming down the course from the Royal Gates from Windsor Great Park, on the straight course, approach from the righthand side.