MY FAIR LADY (2018) Reviews- Page 11

[WashedAwayADreamOfU]

Posted: 5/25/18 at 8:59pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "I really love that cool vibe Lauren Ambrose has in her interviews."

And that deep speaking voice goes right through my soul, in all the best ways. 

Can't wait for my CD to arrive!

 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 5/25/18 at 9:14pm

Sorry if this is a repeat, and I don’t know if it’s been mentioned elsewhere, but Telecharge has this on their website:

Harry Hadden-Paton will not appear at performances June 15-17, 2018. 

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 11:01am

Saw this last night. Beautiful production. It took me until the second act to get sold on Ambrose. She sang beautifully but her acting through song left me a little flat. I didn’t feel for her like I think I should’ve until her Act II songs. She and Hadden-Paton both shined most brightly in the book scenes. Alan Corduner was fantastic. Norbert Leo Butz is the best musical comedy actor we have. Give him all the awards. All in all, I loved MFL but, at the risk of being excommunicated from this board, I enjoyed Carousel just as much.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 3:08pm

I just want to point out how much praise Ambrose and Hadden-Paton have gotten for their book scenes on this thread. These days, how often is it that people offer generous praise for extended book scenes in musical productions? It really goes to show how perfectly cast and how perfectly directed this production is. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 3:29pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "I just want to point out how much praise Ambrose and Hadden-Paton have gotten for their book scenes on this thread. These days, how often is it that people offer generous praise for extended book scenes in musical productions? It really goes to show how perfectly cast and how perfectly directed this production is."

The book scenes are mostly, if not all, pieces and bits of Shaw's Pygmalion. They are supposed to be good if a director is up to his/her job. 

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 3:36pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "I just want to point out how much praise Ambrose and Hadden-Paton have gotten for their book scenes on this thread. These days, how often is it that people offer generous praise for extended book scenes in musical productions? It really goes to show how perfectly cast and how perfectly directed this production is."

I mean, just like Dancingthrulife2 said, if you have the right director, and the right script (in the case of My Fair Lady, it's Shaw's words with that classical musical theater twinge added by Lerner), then it will equate to a perfect book musical. It also helps that this is a musical revival, and not a 'reinvention' (like that ignorant production of Carousel is currently trying to be.) The Band's Visit is another great example of a perfect blend between actors, scenes, and songs, which probably goes to show why these two productions are becoming increasingly more and more likely to take those two awards for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical 

Updated On: 5/27/18 at 03:36 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 3:47pm

I think the point was that the actors still had to make the scenes truly work. With some lesser actors, the scenes may have had less of an impact no matter how good the writing is. We've all had experiences with this if we see a lot of productions from all over. The material of course is there, but you need capable of actors to make them work. Ambrose and Hadden-Paton, to me, really made their book scenes work while bringing something fresh and yet staying true to the material. I've seen some more generic, going-through-the-motion clips of My Fair Lady on YouTube, so that made me appreciate even more what Ambrose and Hadden-Paton did. 

It's similar to people's reaction to The King and I where some feared that it'd be another loyal but stuffy revival of a well-worn classic that everyone has seen before. Some even said Kelli O'Hara played a "garden variety" Anna which others scoffed at because they recognized what a pitch perfect performance Kelli gave and how it wasn't easy to do even if the material is there for a good actor to exploit.

Updated On: 5/27/18 at 03:47 PM

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/27/18 at 4:14pm

Yes, the material itself is masterful, but how often have we seen excellent material ruined by boring, dull performances? My point, as Scotty kindly described, is that these particular actors, with Sher at the helm, are maintaining Shaw's work expertly. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/31/18 at 11:19pm

Just got back from my NYC trip and seeing My Fair Lady yesterday (matinee). And me saying that this splendid, breathtaking, masterful revival deserves all the praise it got in the acting, direction, and design aspects and deserves to win it's Tony Awards would be absolutely redundant. RUN!!! DO. NOT, WALK!

Both my older sister and father adored this production too which made me overjoyed.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/31/18 at 11:25pm

Yayyyy, Musical Master!!! I feel like I've been waiting along with you for 4,000 years to see the production. So glad it lived up to your expectations

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/31/18 at 11:43pm

It more than lived up to my expectations. This revival to me, is probably Bartlett Sher's BEST production he's ever done in his entire career! I can't imagine how he's ever going to top this master class revival.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/31/18 at 11:43pm

DOUBLE POST

Updated On: 5/31/18 at 11:43 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 12:12am

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 12:13am

Robbie2 said: ""

Looooove this photo! An even better angle of my profile picture on here

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 1:25am

I randomly bought a LincTix back in like March for this, and it so happens it's the Tuesday after the Tonys so I'm really, really hoping this does well at the Tonys. 

I actually was having a convo with someone and it seems like acting has become a thing of the past. They want a good look and serviceable talent. Look at Mean Girls. They're all fine, but they all fit those models perfectly. It's nice to see a show, albeit a revival, that truly requires some ACTING and not just hitting the right notes and marks. I guess one could say The Band's Visit is the same way. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 1:30am

RippedMan said: "Look at Mean Girls. They're all fine, but they all fit those models perfectly."

Good acting requires bad casting so they have something to do up there since you won't automatically believe them as that person?!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 7:10am

Good casting is not nec. on the nose casting. Or off the nose.
Good acting is not nec. playing a part that’s a big stretch. Or a part that isn’t.*

*atill, it’s a false but common wisdom that playing a character close to one’s own self is easy. Many actors - otherwise talented - have failed that test.

Updated On: 6/1/18 at 07:10 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 8:36am

Musical Master said: "It more than lived up to my expectations. This revival to me, is probably Bartlett Sher's BEST production he's ever done in his entire career! I can't imagine how he's ever going to top this master class revival."

I wholeheartedly agree with this. I have loved everything I have seen that Bartlett Sher has directed, but this production of My Fair Lady is on a completely different level. It is absolutely superb in every way.

[Eliza2]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 9:05am

RippedMan said: "I randomly bought a LincTix back in like March for this, and it so happens it's the Tuesday after the Tonys so I'm really, really hoping this does well at the Tonys.

I actually was having a convo with someone and it seems like acting has become a thing of the past. They want a good look and serviceable talent. Look at Mean Girls. They're all fine, but they all fit those models perfectly. It's nice to see a show, albeit a revival, that truly requires some ACTING and not just hitting the right notes and marks. I guess one could say The Band's Visit is the same way."

I specifically bought a ticket for that day because it's the first performance after the Tonys 

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 9:14am

I finally saw this last weekend (waiting months and months after buying my LincTix!) and I was astounded. It was so much more impressive and moving and just excellent than I imagined, in every way. I am so happy that this production exists right now. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/1/18 at 11:10pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Robbie2 said: ""

Looooove this photo! An even better angle of my profile picture on here "

 

Broadway Here's another

Updated On: 6/1/18 at 11:10 PM

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/2/18 at 1:38am

This video has an extended clip of Ambrose, Hadden-Paton, and Allan Corduner performing "Rain in Spain":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84fRFrw79nk

Also, a "Making a Classic" video with some more footage and more about the thought process behind this particular production:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_BrZQLLX2g

and Butz and Donica did a Build Series interview where we get some insight into how they play Alfred and Freddy respectfully:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FONTZm-D4Z4

Updated On: 6/2/18 at 01:38 AM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 6/23/18 at 2:41am

Saw this tonight (technically last night as it’s now 2:15 a.m. here). It was my fourth production of my trip with four more to go over the weekend. This was also the first musical so far of my trip. I went in with high expectations since I figured so many of the forces were there that also made me adore the King & I revival (one of very top theatre going experiences). Overall, I had an okay time. The principles all did stellar work. Ambrose’s voice is stunning. The stage design was stellar. Despite all these things, I felt fairly non-plussed for most of Act 1. Things picked up for me toward the end of Act 1. Act 2 had a lot to love in it. But that very last scene did not work for me at all...

 

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Why would Eliza return to say goodbye after she just did so in the previous scene? I think the last scene would work better if it showed Henry alone longing for her with her never reappearing. 

I will say I’ve been keeping a pretty hectic schedule since I arrived on Tuesday so I was tired. And as I mentioned this is my first musical so far of my trip. So maybe I had trouble readjusting to the musical universe. Plus I saw Angels in America and Three Tall Women the previous two days. So it’s hard to live up to those two productions. 

I had an aisle seat which I was grateful for as legroom is an issue at this theater. 

In regard to stage door, there were less than 10 of us. All the principles came out with exception of Ambrose. And Miss Rigg walked by stage door without acknowledging us - she was talking to someone who was with her. 

I did buy the program before the show began. 

[Elegance101]

Posted: 6/28/18 at 10:32pm

Finally saw this tonight and loved it. Bartlett Sher has done it again.
Norbert Leo Butz is by far the best part. I never wanted Get Me To The Church to end.
I really do not get the hype around Ambrose. She’s fine in the book scenes, but once she started to sing, she got this pained look in her eyes and wasn’t making any choices. “I Could’ve Danced All Night” fell completely flat. No magic or wonder and plot-wise, it wasn’t clear what Eliza was feeling. Once Ambrose got to singing, she lost all acting and looked like she was worried about hitting the notes. Overall, given the hype around her performance, I’m thoroughly disappointed. Her voice is fine and her acting in the book scenes was good, but “acting through song” is something Sher didn’t seem to cover in rehearsal. She had a strong lack of presence and made me just wonder when her numbers would end.
I know no one will agree with me, but I just couldn’t see it. Not a huge fan of her Eliza. Oh well. LOVED the rest of the show.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 6/29/18 at 2:25am

That's understandable. Even though I adored Lauren Ambrose when I saw her, I can understand why the way she portrayed Eliza won't be everyone's cup of tea. I will say that she didn't seem to struggle with her singing or acting when I saw the show on May 30th, maybe it's one of those "off" days, I don't know.