My Fair Lady, Curve Leicester Review
The cast of My Fair Lady. Photo by Marc Brenner
Written by Hollie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Caution: This performance contains haze, fog and flashing lights
Curve’s Christmas production is here, with this year’s show My Fair Lady gracing the main stage this festive season. What an absobloominglovely production this is!
Lerner and Loewe’s book, music and lyrics have been brought to this Midlands theatre by Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster.
The show opens in London in 1912 and throws the audience straight into the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden Market where a Phonetics expert Professor Henry Higgins, played by David Seadon-Young, listens to local flower seller Eliza Dolittle, played by Molly Lynch, as she speaks with a strong Cockney accent. Henry is intrigued and makes notes on her speech but Eliza thinks she has done something wrong.
After introducing herself to Colonel Hugh Pickering, played by Minal Patel, Pickering and Higgins become acquainted and form a formidable duo. David and Minal play their respective characters exceedingly well and authentically, and the men really shone throughout this production. With a great mixture of dialogue, dancing and singing, this story, adapted from Ovid’s Pygmalion, allows both David and Minal to provide many moments of laughter for the audience.
The expansive stage and mesmerising scenery is like nothing I have ever seen. Michael Taylor, as set and costume designer has provided a multidimensional and moveable set which is so intricately detailed you can’t take your eyes off it. The props and detail in Henry’s study specifically, provide a dynamic and magnificent set. Even the inclusion of the washing lines filling Curve’s stage as well as the use of the front door of house 27a Wimpole Street, make the audience feel like they are cast members in the show themselves.
The costumes also provide sparkle and splendour and are very reminiscent of the time, but also provide hints towards Leicester’s modern population and the diverse cast.
As Henry becomes Eliza’s teacher, he vows to teach her to speak so well that she will be able to attend a society ball in the future. We are introduced to Eliza’s Dad Alfred Dolittle, played by Steve Furst, whose musical numbers, including ‘With a little bit of luck’ and ‘Get me to the church on time’ were stand out performances for me. Steve’s humour and timing as well as his enthusiasm provide the show with energy and hilarity.
Djavan Van de Fliert’s depiction of Freddy and his singing of the famous song ‘On The Street Where You Live’ was immensely enchanting and adds that ‘will she won’t she’ love triangle to the story.
Choreographer Joanna Goodwin fills the stage with memorable and marvellous dances for the ensemble. She uses the expansive space cleverly to represent the chimney sweeps, suffragettes and high society at Ascot.
Molly Lynch, who plays Eliza Dolittle, has a spectacular voice and can hold her own. Her character development is particularly well done through the use of different dialects and accents. Wouldn’t it be lovely to see what Molly, David, Steve, Djavan and Minal do next as a result of their outstanding performances in this production?
I was dubious about this particular production and I thought it was a risk with it being Curve’s primary Christmas show this year. After the success of Evita last year, I did not want the show to feel too similar or to become too modernised, but in actual fact this show is a brilliant choice for Britain in 2024, and the choice that Curve made is actually part of the charm, as it provides complete escapism from modern day life.
We couldn’t think of any improvements that could be made to this production and we hope that My Fair Lady either goes to the West End or is able to tour around the U.K. in the near future.
Does enchantment pour out of every door at Curve’s theatre in Leicester? Absobloominglutely!
My Fair Lady continues to delight audiences at Curve this Christmas until Saturday 4th January 2025.
★★★★★
