MY FAIR LADY (2018) Reviews- Page 6

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 1:46pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "Musical Master said: "The BroadwayWorld review score is in and it's an 8.7 out of 10;the same rating as Once on this Island and in a sense of irony,it's the same rating The King and I2015 was."

Pardon my ignorance -- what's the BroadwayWorld review score?"

If you go to "sections" and find "reviews" click on that and it will tell you all you need to know. Basically it's this website's version of the old website "StageGrade" which takes the majority of critics reviews puts together an average grade from 1-10.

My Fair Lady was gifted with a critics average of 8.7 out 10 which I think is a really good grade.

 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 3:21pm

No mentions for Butz? I thought he was going to be a favorite to win Featured Actor.

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 4:10pm

MadsonMelo said: "No mentions for Butz? I thought he was going to be a favorite to win Featured Actor."

 

 

^ There were a few positive mentions about Butz in the reviews I read.  Sara Holdren had some nice things to say about his performance, just not the gushing love letters she gave Ambrose and HPP.  Speaking of, I’m really loving Holdren’s reviews for Vulture.  A director and recent graduate of Yale School of Drama, I’ve enjoyed reading her reading her well thought out reviews. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 4:33pm

I knew there would be reviews that would be glowing and in love with Ambrose and others who were less enthused about her performance, but I thought the ratio would be a bit more even. It seems the gushing love letters have far outweighed those who were not as impressed. It reminds me of Kelli O'Hara in The King and I. I do think Lenk is the favorite to win but I'm glad Ambrose can come away with some seriously beautiful notices.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/20/18 at 5:56pm

Holdren's review in VULTURE is a joy to read.  A pleasure to read anyone loving the show so much.  I happen to agree with everything she says about this MFL.  She took the words right out of my mouth about Eliza's arc as charted by Lauren and about Harry's bullying baby of a Henry., apart from that (to the extent possible), I'm really impressed with her writing and what it reveals about her critical process.  One thing she reminded me about is how Sher released Ambrose from the turntable and, along with it, the house at the titanic end of I Could Have Danced All Night.  Yet another example in which the wall of Henry's study is broken before us (along with Eliza's return from the ball and, of course, the final curtain).   And the way Holdren describes Ambrose's first entrance is dead on.

I know many aren't quite feeling this production.  But for me its power keeps growing by the day and I can hardly wait to return to it.   

[NYadgal]

Posted: 4/21/18 at 9:29am

Agree with every word!!

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 4/21/18 at 10:23am

Holdren’s writing is impeccable. Fresh out of Yale School of Drama!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 7:04am

On Stage is an out and out rave. Roma is clearly starstruck for both Lauren and Harry.  

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2018/04/21/my-fair-lady-roma-torre-theater-review-lincoln-center

Updated On: 4/22/18 at 07:04 AM

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 7:51am

I may include "My Fair Lady" during my annual trip to NYC.  I remember Lauren Ambrose in a quirky film titled "Psycho Beach Party" (2000).  In one scene, her character is voicing different channels from her radio.  There's one brief snippet where she sings a beautiful operatic song.  Little did I realize that it was probably her own voice.  

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 10:04am

MCfan2 said: "OlBlueEyes said: "

If you are curious about the fate of the characters after the final curtain has come down, the Epilogue is an interesting read, although it may disappoint you.

“Not necessarily, as I think we all know by now that that's how Shaw chose to end hisversion.If anyone in here doesn't know that by now, they REALLY haven't been paying attention!"

When Eliza leaves Higgins at the end of Pygmalion and at the end of this production, I thought that it was the end of their relationship, not that she would still be a regular visitor to his house, or that they would still be “friends.” When together, what would they do except quarrel? If Higgins had romantic feelings for Eliza, it should hurt him to see her married. But this Higgins may not be capable of a broken heart. Anyway, to me, if this is accepted as their future together, it takes a little punch out of the ending.

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 10:30am

OlBlueEyes said: "MCfan2 said: "OlBlueEyes said: "

If you are curious about the fate of the characters after the final curtain has come down, the Epilogue is an interesting read, although it may disappoint you.

“Not necessarily, as I think we all know by now that that's how Shaw chose to end hisversion.If anyone in here doesn't know that by now, they REALLY haven't been paying attention!"

When Eliza leaves Higgins at the end of Pygmalion and at the end of this production, I thought that it was the end of their relationship, not that she would still be a regular visitor to his house, or that they would still be “friends.” When together, what would they do except quarrel? If Higgins had romantic feelings for Eliza, it should hurt him to see her married. But this Higgins may not be capable of a broken heart.Anyway, to me, if this is accepted as their future together, it takes a little punch out of the ending."

Not my impression at all.  Sher left me with the image of two people in radical change.  Henry on the brink of escaping narcissism, but not there yet.  Eliza at the brink of the unknown.  But with her having great affection and gratitude and love for Henry mixed with her realization that while there is no place for her in his house, there may well be a place for him in her life.  If Shaw could see them being important to each other in future with her leaving when she does in Pygmalion, then why can't we see them being important to each other in future with her coming back and touching her hand to his cheek and then so eloquently bringing her hand to her heart?  If anything, Sher's ending (a modified Lerner one, a melding of Shaw's and Lerner's resolutions that, as has been pointed out, has been done sin other productions, more or les) seems more and not less consonant with Henry and Eliza being dear to each other in the future than Shaw's does.

 

Updated On: 4/22/18 at 10:30 AM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 11:00am

henrikegerman said: "OlBlueEyes said: "MCfan2 said: "OlBlueEyes said: "

If you are curious about the fate of the characters after the final curtain has come down, the Epilogue is an interesting read, although it may disappoint you.

“Not necessarily, as I think we all know by now that that's how Shaw chose to end hisversion.If anyone in here doesn't know that by now, they REALLY haven't been paying attention!"

When Eliza leaves Higgins at the end of Pygmalion and at the end of this production, I thought that it was the end of their relationship, not that she would still be a regular visitor to his house, or that they would still be “friends.” When together, what would they do except quarrel? If Higgins had romantic feelings for Eliza, it should hurt him to see her married. But this Higgins may not be capable of a broken heart.Anyway, to me, if this is accepted as their future together, it takes a little punch out of the ending."

Not my impression at all. Sher left me with the image of two people in radical change. Henry on the brink of escaping narcissism, but not there yet. Eliza at the brink of the unknown. But with her having great affection and gratitude and love for Henry mixed with her realization that while there is no place for her in his house, there may well be a place for him in her life. If Shaw could see them being important to each other in future with her leaving when she does in Pygmalion, then why can't we see them being important to each other in future with her coming back and touching her hand to his cheek and then so eloquently bringing her hand to her heart? If anything, Sher's ending (a modified Lerner one, a melding of Shaw's and Lerner's resolutions that, as has been pointed out, has been done sin other productions, more or les) seems more and not less consonant with Henry and Eliza being dear to each other in the future than Shaw's does.

"

I think that with Ambrose and Hadden-Patton's chemistry and also the way they emote this scene I don't think that Eliza will never see Higgins again. I interpret the ending simply as she realizes she has to make her own life -- she won;t be happy fetching slippers for Higgins. But both Ambrose and Hadden-Patton play this scene so tenderly that I came away with the feeling that they will continue to be very close friends. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 12:18pm

^THIS!

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 8:20pm

NY1's review was nice. Also I'm seeing through these recent reviews, that they are more raves coming in so I would say that this revival is better recieved than Bartlett Sher's Fiddler on the Roof revival (which I really liked) which did great pretty good reviews, but no where close to the postive-rave reviews South Pacific, The King and I and My Fair Lady got. Correct me if I'm wrong on that.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 10:07pm

Now, I think most of you know my bias toward the Lerner ending, but I'm asking this out of genuine curiosity and not just being obnoxious (honest!): If Higgins is truly the abuser that many are calling him, why should anyone think or hope that Eliza would keep him in her life as a dear friend? The whole thing about abusers is that you need to cut them OUT of your life. 

Updated On: 4/22/18 at 10:07 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/23/18 at 8:30am

MCfan2 said: "Now, I think most of you know my bias toward the Lerner ending, but I'm asking this out of genuine curiosity and not just being obnoxious (honest!): If Higgins is truly the abuser that many are calling him, why should anyone think or hope that Eliza would keep him in her life as a dear friend? The whole thing about abusers is that you need to cut them OUT of your life."

 To me Henry is less an "abuser" than a selfish, arrogant, sexist and sometimes glibly unkind man.   But by the end of My Fair Lady he is a man who is taking stock of himself and perhaps on the brink of real change.

 

[MCfan2]

Posted: 4/23/18 at 9:04am

henrikegerman said: "
To me Henry is less an "abuser" than a selfish, arrogant, sexist and sometimes glibly unkindman.But by the end of My Fair Lady he is a man who is taking stock of himself and perhaps on the brink of real change."

I agree. My question is for those who believe he's unequivocally an abuser.

[SuTerifa]

Posted: 4/23/18 at 2:05pm

I used to post here regularly back in 2004 and then periodically in the past few years. I guess I have not logged in in a while because I now found my old log in credentials no longer valid. I ended up registering a new account because I was so inspired by what I saw at the Vivian Beaumont theatre with My Fair Lady that I had to post my raves as well. Reading the NYT review and other positive to rave reviews of this production has been a gratifying experience because they wrote what I felt when I saw this. 

This production may spoil any future production of MFL that I will see because I loved how the characters were handled and the direction the Lincoln Center team took with this one. Lauren Ambrose simply took my breath away as I had no idea what to expect from her. Harry Hadden-Paton is my favorite Higgins and surprisingly sexy in the role. Jordan Donica provided the classic singing that I felt was so refreshing after seeing everything before and after. It's nice to hear a splendid rendition of such a romantic song even if the song is sort of meant as a joke to poke fun of cluelessly romantic ballads. The only issue I had, which is more of a "me" problem than anything else was that I had trouble with Norbert Leo Butz's performance because Stanley Holloway was pitch-perfect as Doolittle that it's much harder for me to see any other rendition or interpretation of the role. I also felt Alfred Doolittle's songs fit in the movie version better than it fit in this production just because there was a real shift in tone with Doolittle. That is a very minor quibble though considering how much I enjoyed what I saw here.

[JBC3]

Posted: 4/23/18 at 6:44pm

Seeing tickets for this Sat night peaking on Stubhub at $800. I have a hard time believing they will get sold for that.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 4/24/18 at 12:39pm

This production may spoil any future production of MFL that I will see because I loved how the characters were handled and the direction the Lincoln Center team took with this one. Lauren Ambrose simply took my breath away as I had no idea what to expect from her. Harry Hadden-Paton is my favorite Higgins and surprisingly sexy in the role.

I agree!   I am simply smitten with this production.   

I've been fortunate to have seen it more than once already and love how it's evolved - and is now being performed.   I can't stop smiling.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/24/18 at 2:30pm

Sorry, but Chris Jones is one of America's great theatre critics.

Sorry, but he's not.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/24/18 at 2:47pm

I don’t want to leave the wrong impression. I loved the show, was relieved that Lauren Ambrose was fully up to the role, and thought the ending was fine.

The ending left enough ambiguity so that each can speculate on the future of the characters.

I’ll definitely be returning at least once.

In Bart We Trust.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 4/25/18 at 5:30pm

As opposed to my November trip where I bought tix before my trip for all six shows I saw, I’m leaning towards waiting until I get to NYC in June and buying tix either through TKTS or the box office. In some circumstances this should be fine (Spongebob, Carousel, Once on This Island). In other cases, it will depend on if (and how much) the Tony Awards create an uptick in box office (Angels in America, Three Tall Women). Still, others (The Boys in the Band, Skintight) have yet to open so not sure what demand will be. However, I’m really wanting to see My Fair Lady. So far, the TKTS app shows that it is rarely listed there (I’ve yet to see it listed at all on the app). I’m wondering for those who have seen it, did you pre-purchase or buy that day at the box office? Thanks!

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/25/18 at 5:32pm

Miles, My Fair Lady is selling extremely well, and day-of seats are a hard find (they'll get even harder if it wins the Tony, too). One of the hottest tickets in town; it'll be a while before it's listed on TKTS, TDF, or any of those kinds of programs. I'd highly recommend you pre-purchase.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 4/25/18 at 5:37pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Miles,My Fair Ladyis selling extremely well,and day-of seats are a hard find (they'll get even harder if it wins the Tony, too). One of the hottest tickets in town; it'll be a while before it's listed on TKTS, TDF, or any of those kinds of programs. I'd highly recommend you pre-purchase."

Thanks. I’m not in a position to pre-purchase right now (recovering from paying huge tax bill). But I should be able to very soon. Thanks for your help!