As a first-timer in the audience of this longer-than-average play, I walked into the theater with some reservations. Fears of falling asleep, boredom and exhaustion filled my mind. I thought, "How could a 1956 classic keep me interested?"
However, after watching the Quad City Music Guild’s performance of Lerner and Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY, I realized exactly why it is called one of the most "loverly" musicals of all time.
Mark McGinn, does an excellent job as Henry Higgins, a phonetics professor who takes on the challenge of transforming street urchin Eliza Doolittle into a presentable woman in high society. McGinn is able to command the stage without seeming overly dramatic, and his calm demeanor work to enhance the character he is attempting to portray. In scene three, when Higgins bullies Eliza into cooperating with his experiment, his performance was so realistic I was almost frightened for her.
Jenny Winn, who plays Eliza, has such personality and expresses herself well, from the way she holds her head to the way she sits in a chair. She is able to capture the audience’s attention and sympathy through her performance and does an outstanding job throughout her transformation. Whether speaking or walking, she brings a realistic dynamic to the play.
John VanDeWoestyne (as Alfred Doolittle) and Harold Truitt (as Colonel Hugh Pickering) shine as two of my favorite characters. VanDeWoestyne gave Alfred a natural charm and likeable personality that are completely believable, and he had me laughing every time he stepped on stage – as did Truitt, who won me over with his character’s absent-mindedness.
Overall, this cast of almost 60 does a fine job, and the choreography seems very well rehearsed. The live orchestra adds another fine element to the show, exciting the audience from the very beginning.
I was impressed most with the technical aspects of this production. Each scene changes so quickly and is dramatically different, offering the audience much to look. The show has a lot of props and other items, in addition to the bigger background pieces, and everything works just as it should. This is to the credit of the excellent stage crew, who move with such swiftness that each scene goes by without delay.
On of my absolute favorite songs in the play is "Ascot Gavotte." Director Kevin Pieper does an excellent job with this piece and had me laughing the entire time. The song is about the excitement of the watching the horse races, but in order to show the characters’ uptight-English personas, they sing the song with unnaturally straight faces in complete stillness — it is perfect! It also plays as a great contrast to Eliza’s reaction to the race as an undignified pauper turned socialite.
While a little lengthy for my liking (at almost three hours), the show had me awake and interested the entire time. There was such a positive attitude from the crowd. I don’t think any other phrase than "laugh out loud funny" could be used to describe this play. It seems as though there was something to chuckle about it every scene, and while I think the script was good, it is the actors that can be attributed to the production’s success.
If you’re looking for a laugh, stop by and see what all the fuss is about. Visit the Music Guild’s performance of MY FAIR LADY.
