Harold Moot’s set design is grand but highly functional, complimented by AV design by Dave Spark. Partnering with the CSO is the perfect choice for Loewe’s score, with excellent musical depth. There were a couple of moments of minor microphone issues, but overall, the sound is well balanced between the CSO and vocalists. Ben Rentoul’s sound design also shines at the horse races. The costumes, hats and wigs are glorious, especially the lavish lilac during the Ascot races scene. The waltz at the ball is a little messy, perhaps overcrowded given the space available. Glen Harris’ choreography supports the feeling of being transported to 1912 and I enjoy references to other musicals such as the dancing chimney sweeps a la Mary Poppins and a nod to That Bloody Woman with the glimpse of some suffragettes. A special mention to stand-out dancer Lennox Dunn for his performance in “Get Me To The Church On Time”. The ensemble gives a strong performance, seamlessly juggling quick changes from flower girls and the pub crowd to Higgins’ household staff to ball guests. The supporting cast holds their own, with highlights including Warwick Shillito as Colonel Pickering, Cameron Melville as the lovestruck Freddy Enysford-Hill and Angela Johnson as the sassy crowd-favourite Mrs Higgins. It’s a treat for Christchurch audiences to see Porter on stage, returning home from his base in Australia. Michael Lee Porter is the perfect Henry Higgins he doesn’t skip a beat, with impeccable diction in some very wordy songs. The final note in “I Could Have Danced All Night” – just, wow! Having seen Laurel Gregory in Next to Normal (The Court Theatre) earlier this year, I can imagine she is equally brilliant in the role. Burns commands the stage, her cockney laughter is infectious and voice flawless. Leading the cast as Eliza, Emily Burns is phenomenal. With the support of an expert team of designers and talented cast, My Fair Lady is a spectacular evening at the theatre. It’s hard to go wrong with the iconic musical theatre duo of Director Stephen Robertson and Musical Director Richard Marrett. It’s fair to say, I was thoroughly impressed. While I was vaguely familiar with the story and some songs, I am more a fan of modern musicals, so I was interested to see how My Fair Lady would hold up in 2023. Many audience members are familiar with the story from the George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion, the 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn, or the Theatre Royal record-breaking run of 171 performances in 1962. My Fair Lady tells the story of young cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and Professor Henry Higgins’ bet that he can teach her to speak like a “proper English lady” in just six months. The scene is set before a word is even spoken the notes of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra fill the theatre as the cast emerge to set the scene. Opening night and the Isaac Theatre Royal is buzzing it’s a suitably grand venue to host the Lerner and Loewe’s classic. Props Design: Christy Lassen (Little Red Hen Co)Įliza Doolittle (Alternate) Laurel GregoryĪfter facing postponement from April 2020, Showbiz Christchurch’s production of My Fair Lady was worth the wait. Prices from $65-$139.50 plus booking fees. Matinees on Saturdays at 2pm and Sunday at 4pm (no evening performance this day). Performances daily at 7.30pm (No performance Monday) My Fair Lady will be staged at the Isaac Theatre Royal from the 21st-30th of September 2023 and will feature the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Showbiz Christchurch is delighted to bring a stunning new production of this much-loved classic back to Christchurch audiences. The show has recently enjoyed enormous success with sold-out revival seasons on Broadway, in Sydney and Melbourne. When My Fair Lady was first performed in Christchurch in 1962, it set the all-time record at the Theatre Royal for attendance, running for an extraordinary 171 performances, to an audience of 200,000 patrons. It set a record for the longest run of any show on Broadway up to that time. The musical’s 1956 Broadway production was a notable critical and popular success. The triumphant score features unforgettable numbers including ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?’, ‘On the Street Where You Live’, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’, and ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’. The clash of cultures sparks some of the theatre’s most jubilant songs and witty dialogue. Showbiz Christchurch : My Fair Lady is based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.Ī Cinderella story about the Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and the appealingly arrogant phoneticist, Professor Higgins, it is an endearing tale that charms audiences with its warmth and vivid characters. Based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe.
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