My Fair Lady Review (Boston Opera House)--2/6/08

[Lefou]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:01pm

If there was ever a show that deserved to fill the large Opera House its My Fair Lady....I was blown away to put it quite simply. The talent [for the most part] was immaculate and I am going back again next week, taking even more friends! I did student rush with 4 of my friends and we got 3rd row Dress Circle seats that gave us a gorgeous view of the stage. The sets were very intricate and many in number (from the ballroom to Higgins's house), everything was spot on and worked with the show. The costumes were out of this world (I am especially referring to the ones that Eliza wears at race track in Act 1 and the Ballgown at the end of act 1/beginning of act 2) The gowns were gorgeously crafted and flowed like a dream onstage...Breakdown by character

Lisa O'Hare as Eliza Doolittle--transferred over from London, so I had VERY high expectations...that she fufilled beyond my wildest dream. As the flower girl, her accent was horrednously well done and just enough that you could understand her without listening too closely. The transformation was very apparent with her character and every number she sang and danced too was just so well articuled in the Eliza-way. Highlight was "Without You" at the end of Act 2...she is spectacular when she stands up to Higgins and takes a stance, it is an empowering scene that she handles with such control and poise...just AMAZING.

Christopher Cazenove--Henry Higgins....simply underwhelming. He was also a transfer from London, but he was flat. He didnt sing a word...it was all talked and quite annoying...especially the heart wrenching "I've Grown Accustomed to her Face", was just painful and dreadfully boring. His dialogue picked up however, he embodied the asshole that Higgin's is and really has good expression onstage.

Walter Charles--Pickering....fun part to play, and he did a very good job acting it...stood out more than Cazenove did in the scenes and overshadowed him at times.

Bill Dietrich--Alfred P. Doolittle. AMAZING. highlight of the show for me...even though hes barely in the show, his 2 songs ("With a Little Bit of Luck" and "Get Me to the Church on Time") were so well played and just out of this world funny. His acting stood out the most to me and whenever he was onstage he was just in the character and didnt stop until he left. Great singer and dancer too!

Justin Bohon--Freddy...not much of a part in the show as I recalled. But he does have the famous "On the Street Where You Live" which he hit out of the park...I was swooning for at least 20 minutes after that...he hit the notes marvelously and acted so perfectly and cute!! LOVE HIM!

Marni Nixon--Mrs. Higgins...hysterical...no singing, but her acting was just incredible, very convincing as the mother in the show, and had a beautiful scene at the end of the show with Eliza.

Overall, this very long show that has the potential to drag on and on, did nothing of the sort. Beautifully crafted in every way and a joy to sit thru....Seats were plentiful tonight, so please if your here go get your tickets! Its only here for a little while longer

--Matt

[dshnookie]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:05pm

could you provide a little bit more information on the student rush? how to? and prices? Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the show!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:14pm

Thanks a lot! I'm going to see this weekend and can't wait. That's too bad about Cazenove's sing/talking, à la Rex Harrison. I was really hoping for an actual singer to, well, sing the songs.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:21pm

I caught this show its last weekend in Chicago, and it was simply beautiful. I wish I could have seen it again before it left town. I agree with your review wholeheartedly, except to say that I wasn't bothered by Cazenove's performance. Of course, I'm so used to Rex Harrison, I might have been thrown off if they put a vocal powerhouse in the role.

[Lefou]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:30pm

Student rush is available an hour before the performance at the box office...you need to have a valid student ID and 25 CASH. REMEMBER THOSE TWO THINGS! haha very important. The seats vary...I had 4th row for Mamma Mia and they are mostly available on weeknights...weekends are harder, but if your close to the theater then go check it out!

hope that helped :)

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:55pm

I plan on seeing this this weekend. I've wanted to see this show live since I can remember, and this seems like a great production.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:30am

Does anyone know the alternating Eliza schedule? I really want to see Lisa O'Hare, but I don't know which days/nights she performs.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 1:28am

I saw it tonight, too. Wonderful - truly. I actually liked Cazenove's performance, although I think he was hoarse. It sounded as though he had a bad cold. Still, he was the embodiment of Henry Higgins.

Lisa O'Hare is adorable - spunky, very funny in the Ascot scene, and positively elegant at the ball. Loved her. Her voice is loverly, too.

The program said that the alternate goes on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Other highlights for me that previous posters haven't mentioned - Marni Nixon in a delightful turn as Mrs. Higgins - no singing, but quite funny; the arrangements - a little grittier and more boisterous for the Cockney scenes, and a nice slow tempo section for Eliza in I Could Have Dance All Night; the choreography - really inventive - I don't want to spoil it by giving away any surprises; the sets - wow - moved fluidly around the actors to denote passage of time and location - especially fun was Get Me to the Church in which Doolittle visits a number of watering holes during the night; Freddie's reprise of On the Street Where You Live - again, a bit of surprising staging that I don't want to give away, but perfectly in keeping with his endless vigil outside Eliza's door; the Suffragettes picketing during Eliza's emancipation from Higgins; and the ensemble - every character was a character, and they supported the principles with great voices and energy.

Kudos to Matthew Bourne on his inspired direction. He didn't reinvent a classic to make it unrecognizable, he merely added unique touches that gave it more oomph than I've ever seen before.

The audience loved it.

[sanda]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:31am

Matt, dead on review! I agree with you almost on every point except Justin Bohon's "On the street where you live" which I don't like that much. And I think he looked way too young and his weird acceccent borthered me a lot.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:46am

I saw the production during its run in DC and liked it quite a lot, particularlu the actors (especially Lisa O'Hare) and the design. Sally Ann Howes was Mrs. Higgins there, and Tim Jerome was Doolittle -- both big audience favorites, and deservedly so.

I wish Trevor Nunn had trusted the material more, and not cluttered it up with unnecessary drivel like Freddy's behavior during the Embassy Ball (he isn't even THERE in the original), or the marching suffragettes during "Show Me," or WORST of all, all those dream flower girls during "I've Grown Accustomed to her Face." I also wasn't crazy about the way he chose the stage the ending.

The worst thing about it was the new orchestrations, though -- hideous.

But it could be the only time we will see a full-scale production of a true American classic, so if you have the chance, definitely go!

[jaystarr]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:51am

Thanks for your review.. I will definitely try to catch this probbably next week during the weekdays...

J*

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:55am

I'm still debating whether or not I should see this. I'm trying to save up for a small spring break trip to NYC!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 10:00am

"he isn't even THERE in the original"

I believe he was in the 1938 PYGMALION movie, which MY FAIR LADY is based on, more so than the actual play. I've seen clips of the "Show Me" scene and, frankly, the suffragettes are a nice touch, IMO. Thus, the song also serves as a commentary: "Men, don't tell us you love us, show us (by giving us the vote and equal rights)."


jay, I expect a full detailed analysis and pics!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 10:03am

loveclassics: May I ask if you did rush and what seats you had?

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 10:14am

Glad you enjoyed the show!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 12:29pm

I saw the tour in Chicago and having seen the original cast in London in 2001, I found it to be a comparable production. The set was scaled down slightly, mostly absent were the series of treadmills along the stage floor, but they really weren't missed. As for the cast, I found Cazenove a MUCH more effective and grounded Higgins than Pryce. Pryce adopted the physical affectation of continuously holding his hands behind his back and that seemed to be his only contribution to the character of Higgins. Cazenove, though not a singer (as the role was originally written) was far more invested in the character. Lisa O'Hare and Dietrich were the standouts of the production as the Doolittles, but unfortunately, their British counterparts McCutcheon and Waterman will most likely remain the quintessential Doolittles for me. I saw the understudy for Freddy and he was sadly dreadful, oversinging and overacting to a the point where his appointment as understudy was a complete mystery. Charles' was a charming Pickering in a thankless role. Marni Nixon was completely off, however. She was ok, if a little stiff, in the first act, but she went up on a line in the second act and never quite got it together after that. It was a bit nerve-racking to watch.

I don't mind Trevor's little bits he added to the staging at all. In fact, I think in some cases, they inject a bit of energy where the show usually has a tendency to drag and can seem endless. All in all, it is a beautiful production, though the direction could use a bit of tightening. I do hope it eventually lands on Broadway.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 2:22pm

millie,

I didn't do rush. I went with a friend who had center orchestra seats, just under the front edge of the overhang. I've found that if you get too far under the mezzanine, the sound is terrible. The Opera House is such a barn. They have to crank up the volume on the body mikes really high to let the actors be heard, and then the sound becomes a bit distorted, almost as if they are shouting into a cave. There's always a bit of an echo. That's the big drawback with the OH. But once your ear adjusts, it's okay.

And one correction: I credited Matthew Bourne with the direction in my earlier post. I meant choreography and musical staging. My apologies to Trevor Nunn.

lc

[MCfan2]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 4:49pm

I saw it in D.C. too and really enjoyed it. I liked Cazenove. He definitely had a Rex Harrison thing going on. But he did tend to talk, and talk/sing, a little fast, even for Higgins. Sometimes when he'd go tearing off through a song, I'd wonder if the orchestra was going to be able to catch up with him, but somehow they always got it worked out in the end.

Didn't get to see Lisa O'Hare, but her understudy was good, aside from a cackling laugh that was a bit grating once or twice.

I have to agree with philcrosby about the ending -- WAY over the top -- and also about the suffragettes. They had them at a different place in the movie ("Little Bit of Luck") and I thought they fit in pretty well there, but not in "Show Me." It was one of those "thank you, Captain Obvious" moments ("LOOK AT US! WE'RE DEMONSTRATING HOW THIS IS REALLY A MESSAGE SONG! SO THAT NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY MISS IT!").

On the whole, though, a good production and I was glad I went.

Updated On: 2/7/08 at 04:49 PM

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 7:28pm

I saw this show twice when it was in Chicago. The first time Lisa O'Hare was out and the woman who played Eliza was lifeless and shrill. At that point, I was not looking forward to seeing it a second time. However, the second time Lisa O'Hare was in and she brought the show up several notches. I liked Cazenove and thought Marni Nixon was excellent.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 7:42pm

I'm seeing it when it hits LA in April.

Looks like it will be a great evening.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 1:20am

I just got back from the show, and it was phenomenal.
As I previously posted, I've always wanted to see this live as I adore the movie and connect with it personally. It was probably one of the most fulfilling evenings of theatre of my life. My only problem was with my seat- they weren't selling rush, so I bought an obstructed view ticket for $35. And it was OBSTRUCTED. My seat was in the front row on the side in what was basically a box that was only raised about a foot. In other words, my seat was past where the regular seats end, and it was probably built just so that cheapskates would only see half the stage. Thankfully, I moved to a real seat for the second act. Anyway, on to the actual show...

The cast was incredible. There weren't any understudies on, and there was not a single weak link. Lisa O'Hare more than met my very high expectations, and the rest of the cast supported her brilliantly. As another poster said, every ensemble member was in character and engaged the entire time, which is a rarity these days. My only concern was with Justin Bohon's singing, which was placed in the back of his throat and because of that was occasionally breathy and lacked power. However, his scene-stealing acting and the beauty of his voice itself more than made up for it.

The production was wonderful. I enjoyed the fluidity and detail of the sets (they actually reminded me of Piazza's) and the elaborate, period costumes. I enjoyed the addition of the Suffragettes to "Show Me," which even got a laugh from the audience. I also liked the Stomp-like choreography in "With A Little Bit of Luck." I found the direction to be very fast-paced, and the show didn't drag a bit. The Ascot scene was one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen, and was even more hilarious than it was in the film.

The house was packed, and the cast got a well-deserved standing ovation. My companions, one of whom was very familiar with the show, and the other whom was not familiar at all, loved it, too. Honestly, I enjoyed this show leagues more than most I have seen on Broadway, and I think a transfer to Broadway would not only be wonderful, but quite successful both financially and artistically. In other words, anyone near Boston (or even far) should run to the beautiful barn that is the Boston Opera House to see a glorious production of a fantastic classic.

~edited for spelling~
Updated On: 2/13/08 at 01:20 AM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 11:21am

Thanks... I think I might be able to catch this on 2/17 (last show) I will be in NYC again that weekend..for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE but I think I will be coming back to Boston for this one on Sunday. Your reviews made me soo excited to see this show. I definitely GO! if I can get tickets !

I would definitely stay home (Boston) for 2/23 and 2/24 bec. I will be seeing Lyric Stage's THE SCENE (Regional) and THE WEDDING SINGER tour in Providence, RI.
Anyone seeing this local & non-equity tour productions?

Then head back to NYC for the month of March ..almost everyweekend for IN THE HEIGHTS, N2N, SOUTH PACIFIC & yes....cant wait for the anticipated GYPSY !

Soo excited!!!

J*

Updated On: 2/9/08 at 11:21 AM

[misto625]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 2:31am

Is Bill Dietrich the full-time Alfred Doolittle? Has Tim Jerome left the tour? He and Walter Charles are my favorite actors in the show. I saw Dana DeLisa as Eliza and thought she did a great job but a lttle hard to understand. Same thing for Chris Cazenove.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 9:34pm

Hey there..
Can't wait to see this tomorrow night...
Any idea on running time?
I remember in London, it ran over 3 hours.

[timote316]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:20pm

It runs around 3 hours if I remember correctly from last week.