Seattle Musical Theatre, in a fitting nod to their classic roots as Civic Light Opera, opens their 40th anniversary season with the iconic musical My Fair Lady. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (with a dash of Frankenstein) this familiar story follows the journey of Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, and professor Henry Higgins, a renowned phoneticist.
One of the main challenges in undertaking such a well-known musical is that your audience comes into the theater with many of their own preconceived ideas. Director and set designer Steven Fogell manages to meet (if not exceed) most of these expectations and that is no small accomplishment. The set and costumes (ably done by Janessa Jayne Styck) paint a beautifully surreal picture. It was clear that exquisite pictures, and not stark realism, were the aim. This parallels the superficiality of the class system that Alan Jay Lerner pokes so much fun at throughout the book and lyrics.
The fate of this musical often lies in the appeal of the leading lady, Miss Eliza Doolittle, and with Brittney Stout, we are in extremely capable hands. Stout manages a fully motivated and believable arc from a frenzied working class street denizen to a stately, fully self-assured lady. She does this all while staying completely charming and offering up some truly splendid vocals. In her counterpart, Henry Higgins, played by the dashing Tom Stewart, we get a charismatic though less subtle performance. In the end, Higgins is clearly changed by his relationship with Eliza but the progression could be made more clear if Stewart had a less manic starting place. One of the dark horse MVPs of this production is Matt Eldridge as Colonel Pickering who offers a nuanced and sincerely delightful performance.
One of the staples of any classic piece of musical theater is the ensemble and this one, under the supervision of music director Kimberly Dare, does not disappoint. Special attention should be paid to the quartet of street folk who are simply delightful. Unfortunately, the orchestra was not quite up to the ensemble’s level of excellence. Perhaps with a few more shows under their collective belt, they will be able to play with a more cohesive sound.
When all is said and done, it is clear why My Fair Lady has endured and thrived since its initial opening in 1956. What is so engaging about Lerner and Loewe’s masterpiece is evident on the stage. This production is full of charm and beauty, of poignance and pathos. It is a truly delightful escape into Lerner and Loewe’s artfully crafted world.
My Fair Lady is playing at Seattle Musical Theatre through October 1st. Tickets and other information can be found at http://seattlemusicaltheatre.org/