My Fair Lady

Society:                    Knaphill and St John’s Operatic Group

Production:             My Fair Lady

Director:                  James Palmer

Musical Director:   Mark Turvill

Venue:                    The Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, Walton on Thames

Date:                       Thursday March 6th 2025

My Fair Lady premiered in 1956 on Broadway and in London in 1958, and was of course a resounding success. A film was made in 1964, once again, a great hit. It is based on GB Shaw’s play Pygmalion. It deals with typical English class issues – cockney flower girl transformed into high class lady, all by the means of months of painful elocution lessons. Easy for us in the UK to do, but I wonder how societies in the USA manage all those accents? The libretto is very amusing, of course, and the music stands the test of time, producing so many well-loved melodies and evocative songs.

This KASJOG production was, quite simply, a delight from start to finish, with great direction from James Palmer and a superb team effort from his fabulous cast. It was performed, a KASJOG first, at the rather lovely Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton on Thames, a former film studio. Though maybe not as large and modern as the Rhoda McGaw in Woking, it had a cosier bar.

The curtain opened onto a post-theatre scene in London with people milling about trying to hail taxis. No scenery here, just a black background, which of course set off the Flower Girls’ displays and baskets of colourful blooms wonderfully. Later in Professor Henry Higgins rooms, some rather fine wood panelling formed the backdrop, a chaise longue, armchair, tables and two shiny phonographs made their appearance.

Lighting was very effective throughout, especially in the ball scene, where Eliza positively dazzled in her fine jewels.

The nine-piece orchestra was deftly conducted by Mark Turvill, with a great balance of sound. We were able to hear all the marvellous lyrics very plainly – if I remember correctly clear diction is one of KASJOG’s many strong points.

The Flower Girls looked splendid in their very colourful shawls over white blouses and patterned skirts. The gents of course in top hat and tails, appropriate for theatre visits in 1912, their ladies in long gowns and stoles. Henry Higgins largely wore tweed, except of course for Ascot and the ball. The ladies’ costumes for Ascot were absolutely stunning – all in black and white, each quite different, long gloves, and flamboyant hats. The ball costumes were splendidly colourful, and made Eliza’s beautiful white gown, black sash and long gloves, diamond jewellery and tiara stand out all the more. She did look amazing! Eliza had a few other charming Edwardian outfits too, lovely to see. Alfred Doolittle made a fine dustman, and scrubbed up well for his wedding in top hat and tails!

This was an absolutely first class production, with perfect casting of Jenny Jordan as Eliza Doolittle and Keith Kimnell as Professor Henry Higgins, without such perfect principals I imagine My Fair Lady would not hit the spot.

We got off to a great start with Higgins fine rendering of ‘Why can’t the English teach their children how to speak’ as he winces at Eliza’s cockney vowels. A wonderfully witty song that captured our attention and set the scene for the ensuing show, performed of course impeccably by Kimnell. 

Eliza and the ensemble’s jolly ‘Wouldn’t it be loverly’ took those of us who can remember the 50s or earlier right back to the days of just one coal fire in the living room to heat the whole house, and of course to chilblains. Whatever happened to THEM?

Then we met the larger-than-life character of Alfred P Doolittle, fabulously played by Steve Dorsett and his cockney pals, giving us their all in their cheeky ‘With a little bit of luck’ in full throttle, bounding about the stage.

Moving back to Higgins lodgings, where Colonel Pickering always seemed to be about (perfect casting of and performance by Tony Paice here), Higgins confirmed his chosen bachelor existence in ‘I’m an ordinary man’. Such exquisite lyrics, so funny (not sure that the intense modern-day feminist would approve though!).

Eliza suffered throughout her elocution lessons, and expressed her frustration energetically and full of anger and hatred in ‘Just you wait, Henry Higgins!’, practically spitting her vitriol. Jenny Jordan made us all into Elizas, so well did she express what she felt. Such a spirited performance!

But then of course the days and days of practice finally paid off, as she gave us the delightful ‘The rain in Spain’ together with Higgins and Pickering, and where it seemed she fell for Higgins as they danced together. Later, in her room, as the housekeeper Mrs Pearce (the excellent Anne Crow) and the maids tried to get her to rest before her big day at Ascot, she thrilled us all with ‘I could have danced all night’. 

That Ascot scene was brilliantly executed, with the ladies all in black and white, and that fine Ascot Gavotte – we could almost see the horses whizzing past ourselves! Eliza made a few very obvious blunders, to the bemusement of the toffs, and much to the delight of young Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who finds this girl so refreshingly different and great fun.

As a consequence of this fascination, he finds himself, as so many smitten suitors do, gravitating towards the street where the beloved lives. Dave Chapman gave a masterful performance of ‘On the street where you live’.

And so this fabulous production continued, bright, sparkly, full of vim and pep, yet with thoughtful moments too, as when Higgins sang ‘I’ve grown accustomed to her face’. Alf Doolittle was brilliant of course in ‘Get me to the church in time’.

To have such a fine cast, each and everyone, directed by James Palmer and musically by Mark Turvill, meant that we could really relax into the joy and fun that this show produces. Never having seen it before, I can now quite understand why my parents were so bowled over by it in 1958!

Thank you so much, KASJOG

PAULINE SURREY

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