My Fair Lady (Carpet Trades Musical Theatre Company)

Always a pleasure to review one of the classic musicals and Lerner & Loewe's 'My Fair Lady' definitely fits in that bracket, classically brought to the stage by Carpet Trades Musical Theatre Company under the direction of Jill Parmenter, musical direction by Russell Painter and choreography by Emily Hamer.

If you've never seen 'My Fair Lady', firstly where have you been for that last umpteen years but, for the young and the 'young at heart' let me explain .....

Common flower seller, Eliza Doolittle (a performance worthy of the Julie Andrews seal of approval in all facets from Molly Parmenter) is plying her trade in Covent Garden when she is noticed by phonetics expert Professor Henry Higgins (obviously enjoying the challenge of this role and living-up to it in every way by Reece Jones) by coincidence expert in Indian dialects Colonel Hugh Pickering is in the same vicinity (a forthright and characterful performance from Scott Denton).

Before they can disappear off to talk the relative merits of different phonetical speech patterns, Higgins throws down the challenge that he can pass Eliza off as a Duchess at an Embassy Ball or a Lady in a Flower Shop in six months, Pickering intrigued takes the bet and offers to finance the experiment if it is successful and so begins the story .....

Eliza after some thought decides that she has nothing to lose (other than the squashed cabbage leaves of Covent Garden), so after much to-ing and fro-ing puts herself in the charge of Professor Higgins, well to begin with housekeeper Mrs Pearce (a caring yet candid performance from Emma Parker) who is told to beat her with a broom if she misbehaves, oh the political incorrectness that would see Professor Higgins probably incarcerated in a modern world but, makes for much entertainment and audience chuckling.

Cut to Eliza's father Alfred P. Doolittle, not much of a parent, common dustman with alcoholic tendencies and fully signed-up member of the 'undeserving poor', played with rough and ready charm by Darren Richards being thrown out of yet another hostelry and commenting on what might happen 'with a little bit of luck' alongside his friends Harry (Julian Richards) and Jamie (Chris Paine).

Doolittle extracts payment for his daughter (yes, you read that correctly) from Higgins and supposedly disappears from her life (until he is recommended by Higgins to a philanthropist in the US and is dragged much to his disgust into money and 'middle-class morality').

In the meantime Eliza is realising just what she has let herself in for under the tutoring of Higgins, many a late night reciting vowels and phrases to avoid dropping her h's eventually lead to success as she enunciates 'the rain in Spain, stays mainly in the plain' perfectly, leading to an appearance at the box at Ascot of Mrs Higgins (mother of the professor (he is of course a confirmed bachelor) and played with upper class perfection by Alison Ashcroft).

After moving to subjects other than the weather and her health, Eliza almost gives away her lower class background, much to the enjoyment of prospective love interest Freddie Enysford-Hill (a joyful performance from Alex Thompson with a top rendition of the much loved 'On The Street Where You Live') a little to the chagrin of his mother Mrs Enysford-Hill (another perfection of upper class from Sarah Richards).

From Ascot to a ball in the presence of the Queen of Transylvania (a nice little cameo scene from Wendy Richards) unfortunately also slimy ex-pupil of Higgins, Professor Zoltan Karpathy using his knowledge of phonetics for nefarious means (and played with just the right amount of oiliness by Russell Painter (hang on, who is conducting the orchestra !!)) but, despite attempts to unmask Eliza he fails.

Celebration of success by Higgins and Pickering leaves Eliza feeling unwanted and with nowhere to go until they both realise they can't live without each other.

Let me finish as I started, it's a classic production of a classic musical that you really shouldn't miss, so unless you're getting married in the morning, I suggest you grab a ticket now !





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