MY FAIR LADY (2018) Previews- Page 9

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 12:35pm

To be fair to Shaw and the ending of this production, we don't know if Eliza actually marries Freddy. I think Shaw only wrote that epilogue after being so incensed that production after production of his play kept ignoring the actual ending and stage directions and made new endings where Higgins and Eliza end up together with the actor playing Higgins doing grand romantic gestures (like giving Eliza flowers at the end) because the audience ate it up and even critics at the time thinking that was the only proper ending. So he figured if people wanted a romantic ending for Eliza and if she HAD to marry anybody, it would be Freddy and not Higgins. He wanted the audience to see that the experiment was over and Eliza was given the utmost freedom to do with her life as she wished outside her creator's control and in a way was freer than Higgins as she sort of was in this in-between or outside the social class now that she transcended the idea that she belonged to a class through her proper language and skills. It seems Shaw wanted the audience to think and come up with their own conclusions about Eliza's future and hated that what most people came up with or wanted was Eliza going back to Higgins because she was now equal to marry Higgins...which is not the message Shaw wanted the audience to receive. In Shaw's mind there's no way the statue should go back to Pygmalion. 

Updated On: 3/16/18 at 12:35 PM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 12:36pm

After Eight said: "Mildred,

You disappoint me.

Why not try using a little common sense, for once?

If I truly wanted to lie about having seen a production I hadn't, it would have been the easiest thing in the world for me tomake up an opinion ofactor's performance, the set design, or anything else, just based on previous comments, or on nothing at all.

"

If you had given more details perhaps you’d have more credibility. Your only purpose on this board is to be a contrarian. You want to stir the pot and make people feel like unintelligent sheep for not agreeing with you.  You assert your opinion as fact. You don’t even try to have a reasonable discussion with others on why you feel the way you do.  If you tried to be civil about your opinions perhaps you’d appear more credible, and we wouldn’t doubt if you even saw the shows you loathe. But you managed not to bring up Sunday in the Park with George or Fun Home in this rant, so you get a point for progress. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:11pm

I'm still curious as to how Lauren Ambrose sounds singing this score. It's still hard for me to imagine her voice singing this based on her performances of torch songs on YouTube even if I did believe she was up for it and that this was an exciting casting.

[Ravenclaw]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:14pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "...In Shaw's mind there's no way the statue should go back to Pygmalion."

You bring up a fair point about further subversion--Shaw's original play is a subversion of original Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. Shaw subverted the myth by saying that were Pygmalion able to create the perfect woman, that perfect woman would see through all his flaws and reject him, rather than live in continual service to him. Then Shaw's adapters subverted him, and now contemporary directors subvert those adapters. The act of subversion is threaded deep into every version of the text. One cannot blame this latest production for not being faithful enough to the text when every iteration of the text was defiantly unfaithful to the version that came before it.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:14pm

I'm really pleased to hear she sang it so beautifully! It reminds me a bit of when Michael Crawford first played the Phantom and revealed sides to his talent that hardly anyone knew he had. It's always exciting to see performers pull off something like that.

[blm2323]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:17pm

WhizzerMarvin said: "blm, I believe this can be seen as a happy ending too, at least for Eliza. Do you think A Doll’s House has a happy ending? I guess one could see it as a sad ending for Torvald and the kids, but it’s so liberating for Nora that I’ve always viewed it as a happy ending.

"

Whizzer - In A Doll’s House a definitively see it as a happy ending. I haven’t read it in awhile so I can’t  make a complete analysis / comparison on it  

I guess I didn’t like the MFL ending here because in my idealistic heart I want them to be friends, because as vile as HH has been, I have hope for redemption - on her terms of course :)

Anyway, it’s been great listening to everyone’s thoughts! I am fully aware that my views are colored by the show I grew up seeing, and the twist at the end can be jarring.  After a full night’s rest I’m not bothered by it as much haha

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:21pm

It seems like from these early reports, Ambrose is emerging as Katrina Lenk’s biggest competition? (And Ambrose has the much showier role.)

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:23pm

This thread convinced me to get tickets when I was going to skip this. Thanks all!

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:23pm

Mildred,

For a bright person, you really do have an understanding problem. If I didn't provide "more details," it's for  the simplest of reasons: I didn't want to. Yes. That's right. Can you Imagine that? Someone didn't want to do what you wanted them to! Impossible! What a world! And if  I don't have "credibility," in your eyes (or anyone else's) because of it, well, obviously I'm devastated, but I guess that's something I'm just going to have to endure.

And as for my not bringing up those two dreadful opuses you mentioned, didn't you realize that it was solely out of deference to you that I didn't?

And that's the gratitude I get?

Oh, well. Just one more burden to bear, I guess.

Updated On: 3/16/18 at 01:23 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:24pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "It seems like from these early reports, Ambrose is emerging as Katrina Lenk’s biggest competition? (And Ambrose has the much showier role.)"

I was thinking something similar about Butz and Ari'el Stachel, who I would have considered a strong contender for Featured Actor. Haled is the showiest role in The Band's Visit, I suppose, but it's VERY different from Doolittle.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:32pm

I still can't see Lenk losing this award, as good as Ambrose sounds. Lenk is just transcendent. 

I could, however, see Butz take the award over Stachel. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:34pm

Everyone, just stop engaging with After Eight. Please. He contributes nothing and wants nothing to do with opinions that are not his own. It has always been thus.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:34pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "It seems like from these early reports, Ambrose is emerging as Katrina Lenk’s biggest competition? (And Ambrose has the much showier role)."

It at least looks like Ambrose could more easily be able to win the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards since Katrina Lenk won't be competing at any of those groups given that The Band's Visit was already eligible last year when it was off-Broadway.

[Lindsay is a goddess]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:42pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "SomethingPeculiar said: "It seems like from these early reports, Ambrose is emerging as Katrina Lenk’s biggest competition? (And Ambrose has the much showier role)."

It at least looks like Ambrose could more easily be able to win the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards since Katrina Lenk won't be competing at any of those groups given thatThe Band's Visitwas already eligible last year when it was off-Broadway."

I think Hailey Kilgore could give her some competition for that one, especially considering the rapid fan response for Once on This Island.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:43pm

Personally (and maybe this is because her performance is still so fresh in my mind from last night), I would cast my vote for Lauren Ambrose. Her performance, even at the first preview, was transcendant...and I'm sure she will only improve during previews. Can't wait to see the show again at the final preview on April 18. Congratulations to the cast and crew - this show was outstanding and it deserves all of the praise it gets. Buy your tickets now!

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:45pm

I think Lenk and Stachel are both vulnerable in the Tony race, but it’s still so early. Lenk is not this year’s equivalent to Ben Platt.

I also feel like there could be goodwill for Joshua Henry because some people thought he should have won for VIOLET over James Monroe Iglehart — even if people don’t like Carousel.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:48pm

I don't recall Joshua Henry being much discussed for Violet at all. Iglehart was a pretty sure thing.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 1:56pm

I don't think Stachel was ever the frontrunner. Butz has been the frontrunner before any had even seen his performance with Alex Newell creeping along behind. Actually, I thought John Carinani was the standout supporting actor from TBV.

Interesting to see if Harry Hadden-Patton will take best actor instead of Joshua Henry.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:06pm

Sorry for asking the same question twice: For those who have seen it, how was Christopher Gattelli's choreography for the numbers that require dance?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:20pm

Musical Master said: "Sorry for asking the same question twice: For those who have seen it, how was Christopher Gattelli's choreography for the numbers that require dance?"

The waltz at the top of act two is lovely. Other than that, it’s all pretty standard. It’s not a choreography-heavy show. Gatelli’s work serves the story only when it needs to, unlike Justin Peck’s choreography for Carousel, which is obtrusive at every turn.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:24pm

Thanks for that. Also, how are the sets for the Ascot Racecourse and Embassy Ball? I know that Higgins' house got a lot of praise for how gorgeous it us, but I wonder how those two locations are handled.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:28pm

Musical Master said: "Thanks for that. Also, how are the sets for the Ascot Racecourse and Embassy Ball? I know that Higgins'house got a lot of praise for how gorgeous it us, but I wonder how those two locations are handled."

The Ascot scene is a bare stage for the song section and some chairs and small tables for the scene. The combination of the openness and the all-white/pink-hued costumes is a striking image.

The Embassy scene is actually something I don’t want to discuss, personally, because the reveal of it was such a “WOW” moment. I don’t want to spoil it. It’s nothing as spectacular as the Higgins house and is largely dominated by the massive staircase, but it’s extremely effective.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:38pm

Unless I'm mistaken, no one there last night has yet here mentioned what is perhaps the show's most iconic visual moment (and one of the most beloved in musical theatre and movies), at the close of Act 1 (? See below) Eliza's entrance descending Henry's staircase just before they leave for the ball and Henry's ultimately offering her his hand before they go out the door (as it's usually played).   I'm not asking for costume details (honestly I'd rather not know,) but am very curious about the kind of impact Sher made with this scene.  Was it glamorous, poignant, effective?

Also, Colorthehours, said:  "the waltz at the start of Act 2 is glorious."  Does that mean that the Act 1 curtain is Henry's and Eliza's departure for the ball?   Normally, isn't the Act 1 curtain Eliza's waltzing with Zoltan and Act 2 picks up back at Henry's house?   I'm very curious about this because it always seemed to me that Eliza's and Henry's leaving the house for the ball was clearly the better choice for the Act 1 curtain.

Updated On: 3/16/18 at 02:38 PM

[ActorGuyIL]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:39pm

I saw the final dress of MFL at Lyric last year. I loved the ending: After "Where the devil are my slippers?" Eliza snapped her fingers and the servants came in and instantly redressed Higgins' study, turning it into a dining room with flowers and candles, etc. and, if I'm remembering correctly, they both laughed.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/16/18 at 2:42pm

Thanks ColorTheHours for your answers, and I can't wait to see the WOW moments with Henry's house and the Embassy Ball in person; seems like it's best to keep those two a secret.