My Fair Lady (Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company)

There is always room for the classics in the musical theatre genre and My Fair Lady (the musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion) is squarely in that bracket. Loved by many this can make it one of the more challenging productions to deliver successfully as it is known almost in minute detail by audiences but, BHMTC take that challenge head on.

Stepping into the almost unfillable shoes of Julie Andrews and surpassing the performance of Audrey Hepburn in the movie (as this lady sings and well) is the scintillating Lucy Follows as Eliza Dolittle delivering all the intense characterisation required in a role on a transformational journey. Sharing the spotlight is the eloquent Tim Brown as ‘dialectician and grammarian’ Professor Henry Higgins, proud bachelor with a weak spot for this one woman.

Cutting a fine figure as Colonel Hugh Pickering is John Leaman with all the traits of a privileged life in India and has one of my favourite lines in ‘Mr Brewster Budgeon please, yes I’ll wait ..... Boozy !’, so quintessentially British. Probably my other favourite line is delivered with conviction by Deb Glennon as housekeeper Mrs Pearce, that being simply ‘don’t answer back girl’.

Providing the comedy element in buckets as the indomitable Alfred P Dolittle is Stephen Homer, he of the woodnotes wild, ‘I’m willing, I’m wanting, I’m waiting’, supported amiably by his drinking buddies Harry (David Lavender) and Jamie (Andy Parker).

Belting out the iconic ‘On The Street Where You Live’, is Adam Siviter, covering the stage flamboyantly as Freddy Eynsford-Hill would be suitor to Miss Dolittle. Supporting cast are exceptional in their multiple characters and costumes, peaking with the highly memorable scene at Ascot Races.

It would be unfair of me not to tell readers that this was a Dress Rehearsal and not an audience attended performance and whilst there were a few 'tech hitches', I have no doubt that tonight with a packed house at Brierley Hill Civic Hall this will be a resouding success and a fitting tribute to the music and lyrics of Lerner & Loewe.

Tye Harris (Director), Anna Forster (Choreographer) and Craig Sproston (Musical Director) can be duly proud of their combined efforts to bring this version of My Fair Lady to the stage. It only runs until Saturday 14th October 2017 so grab your tickets while you can.

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