Posted: 3/22/18 at 5:02pm
My middle finger is sticking straight up and is directed at “fan of bway” for ruining the ending without a spoiler alert.
Updated On: 3/22/18 at 05:02 PM
Posted: 3/22/18 at 5:07pm
Fan of Broadway- I love reviews that show professional insight. Very interesting comments.
Posted: 3/22/18 at 5:24pm
...we really need spoiler alerts for My Fair Lady?
Posted: 3/22/18 at 5:24pm
MCfan2 said: "SmoothLover, what do you mean by "upstaged himself"?"
He was talking to character's upstage that were further upstage than himself thus turning his back to the audience when he was the focus of the scene. It is fine to do it when the action is on lower thrust because you can still see his expressions since the house is surrounding the thrust but the scenes in his home are too far upstage. In those sequences the person he is talking to should be downstage of him so we can see his face. I agree he was moving around too much at times. It was a character choice but at times it was unmotivated. His character had a nervous energy as if he were slightly uncomfortable in his skin which I liked. Ambrose started out like a wounded bird which again was smart. The choice was complimented by the bird cage....as if she wanted to set herself free which she eventually does.
I also agree that it is hard to find a balance in musical comedy when you are working for 3 demensional story telling. The production does need a sense of urgency and vibrancy. This usually falls on the journey of the protagonist. Musical numbers can propell the story forward. I think it is harder to do with this musical because the characters are usually singing about their feelings.
Ambrose was too slow with her speaking cues so some of the scenes were not substaining themselves. I think it could be a bad acting habit. Rigg should pick up her cues as well. Her character's wit would appear sharper. She might have been a little nervous about having to walk long distances to get to her scenes.
Ambrose also moves her head a lot when she sings and I think it is another bad habit.
I think the opening sequences should have a little more life to them. It is up to the director to justify it.
The song at the horse races usually has more humor to it in the sense that the ensemble can barely change their facial expressions to participate.
I was sitting in the 500's so in the last scene Higgins was totally blocking Eliza so I could not see her. All I saw was Higgin's back. Eliza should have been a little further downstage. Perhaps Bart was giving her character the upper hand but it failed from my view point. When she left it felt like she walked through the wall but I am assuming it had been established as a doorway and I had just missed it.
Posted: 3/22/18 at 5:52pm
Posted: 3/22/18 at 10:34pm
It's 100% a re-staged ending which I think on paper works but I'll have to see the show to judge it fully and fairly.
Posted: 3/23/18 at 2:37pm
Thanks, SmoothLover.
Re: the spiral staircase, it got quite a bit of use in the film. Harrison was constantly up and down it. I don't know how they usually use it on stage -- most versions I've seen were staged without it -- but frequent use of it isn't unprecedented.
Posted: 3/23/18 at 6:01pm
Posted: 3/24/18 at 1:50pm
Posted: 3/24/18 at 5:03pm
Posted: 3/24/18 at 6:44pm
Where do I even begin? This is one of the finest and most wonderfully crafted productions of a revival I have ever seen. This My Fair Lady is astoundingly brilliant on every level. Everything about it from top to bottom is blissful perfection. Bartlett Sher has always been my favorite director, and today’s performance reminded me why I love his work so much.
I will admit I was skeptical about the casting of Lauren Ambrose as Eliza. However, any doubts I had were vanquished within the first fifteen minutes of her revelatory performance. Her comedic timing is flawless. Her facial expressions are exquisite. Her voice is that of an angelic songbird, and it SOARS. She was mesmerizing to watch every second she was onstage. During “You Did It”, my eyes never left her and she doesn’t even have one word in the song. Her performance is one I will cherish the rest of my life.
Harry Hadden-Padon was a remarkable Higgins. He is easily giving the best performance I have seen an actor give this season. Norbert Leo Butz is knocking it out of the park. “Get Me To The Church On Time” stops the show. Diana Rigg is delightful.
The set for this is massive, expansive, and jaw dropping. Bartlett Sher and Michael Yeargan really know how to use the Beaumont stage. Higgin’s study/house revolves between three rooms, and it is quite impressive. The Embassy Ball set is stunning, and I was in awe of one of the things they did with it. The transitions between the various locations were seamless.
This afternoon was one of those special times in a theatre where I was reminded just how powerful, magical, and wonderful theatre can be. The last time I left a theatre with this much joy in my heart and feeling this fulfilled was Hello, Dolly! last year. This production is not to be missed.
Posted: 3/24/18 at 6:45pm
She signed and took pictures when she was in Exit The King.
Posted: 3/24/18 at 7:23pm
bwayphreak234 said: "Where do I even begin? This is one of the finest and most wonderfully crafted productions of a revival I have ever seen. This My Fair Lady is astoundingly brilliant on every level. Everything about it from top to bottom is blissful perfection. Bartlett Sher has always been my favorite director, and today’s performance reminded me why I love his work so much.
I will admit I was skeptical about the casting of Lauren Ambrose as Eliza. However, any doubts I had were vanquished within the first fifteen minutes of her revelatory performance. Her comedic timing is flawless. Her facial expressions are exquisite. Her voice is that of an angelic songbird, and it SOARS. She was mesmerizing to watch every second she was onstage. During “You Did It”, my eyes never left her and she doesn’t even have one word in the song. Her performance is one I will cherish the rest of my life.
Harry Hadden-Padon was a remarkable Higgins. He is easily giving the best performance I have seen an actor give this season. Norbert Leo Butz is knocking it out of the park. “Get Me To The Church On Time” stops the show. Diana Rigg is delightful.
The set for this is massive, expansive, and jaw dropping. Bartlett Sher and Michael Yeargan really know how to use the Beaumont stage. Higgin’s study/house revolves between three rooms, and it is quite impressive. The Embassy Ball set is stunning, and I was in awe of one of the things they did with it. The transitions between the various locations were seamless.
This afternoon was one of those special times in a theatre where I was reminded just how powerful, magical, and wonderful theatre can be. The last time I left a theatre with this much joy in my heart and feeling this fulfilled was Hello, Dolly! last year. This production is not to be missed."
W O W.
Posted: 3/24/18 at 8:37pm
Now that's a rave review from a theater goer if I've ever heard one. 
Posted: 3/25/18 at 7:21am
bwayphreak234 said: "Where do I even begin? This is one of the finest and most wonderfully crafted productions of a revival I have ever seen. This My Fair Lady is astoundingly brilliant on every level. Everything about it from top to bottom is blissful perfection. Bartlett Sher has always been my favorite director, and today’s performance reminded me why I love his work so much.
I will admit I was skeptical about the casting of Lauren Ambrose as Eliza. However, any doubts I had were vanquished within the first fifteen minutes of her revelatory performance. Her comedic timing is flawless. Her facial expressions are exquisite. Her voice is that of an angelic songbird, and it SOARS. She was mesmerizing to watch every second she was onstage. During “You Did It”, my eyes never left her and she doesn’t even have one word in the song. Her performance is one I will cherish the rest of my life.
Harry Hadden-Padon was a remarkable Higgins. He is easily giving the best performance I have seen an actor give this season. Norbert Leo Butz is knocking it out of the park. “Get Me To The Church On Time” stops the show. Diana Rigg is delightful.
The set for this is massive, expansive, and jaw dropping. Bartlett Sher and Michael Yeargan really know how to use the Beaumont stage. Higgin’s study/house revolves between three rooms, and it is quite impressive. The Embassy Ball set is stunning, and I was in awe of one of the things they did with it. The transitions between the various locations were seamless.
This afternoon was one of those special times in a theatre where I was reminded just how powerful, magical, and wonderful theatre can be. The last time I left a theatre with this much joy in my heart and feeling this fulfilled was Hello, Dolly! last year. This production is not to be missed."
I wholeheartedly agree. I left the theatre beaming and weepy. And I was trying to figure out why exactly bc the story isn’t a sad one per say. So why was I so emotional? After sitting and digesting my thoughts - I think i understood and appreciated the journey of a wmn finding her own voice. Literally and figuratively. Blossoming. Fighting for what she believes in. Speaking her truth. And watching that transformation ... just made me reflective and sappy.
Lauren Ambrose bewitched me. I left that theatre in awe and I haven’t felt that way since Dolly!
Posted: 3/25/18 at 3:18pm
bwayphreak234 said: "Where do I even begin? This is one of the finest and most wonderfully crafted productions of a revival I have ever seen. This My Fair Lady is astoundingly brilliant on every level. Everything about it from top to bottom is blissful perfection. Bartlett Sher has always been my favorite director, and today’s performance reminded me why I love his work so much.
I will admit I was skeptical about the casting of Lauren Ambrose as Eliza. However, any doubts I had were vanquished within the first fifteen minutes of her revelatory performance. Her comedic timing is flawless. Her facial expressions are exquisite. Her voice is that of an angelic songbird, and it SOARS. She was mesmerizing to watch every second she was onstage. During “You Did It”, my eyes never left her and she doesn’t even have one word in the song. Her performance is one I will cherish the rest of my life.
Harry Hadden-Padon was a remarkable Higgins. He is easily giving the best performance I have seen an actor give this season. Norbert Leo Butz is knocking it out of the park. “Get Me To The Church On Time” stops the show. Diana Rigg is delightful.
The set for this is massive, expansive, and jaw dropping. Bartlett Sher and Michael Yeargan really know how to use the Beaumont stage. Higgin’s study/house revolves between three rooms, and it is quite impressive. The Embassy Ball set is stunning, and I was in awe of one of the things they did with it. The transitions between the various locations were seamless.
This afternoon was one of those special times in a theatre where I was reminded just how powerful, magical, and wonderful theatre can be. The last time I left a theatre with this much joy in my heart and feeling this fulfilled was Hello, Dolly! last year. This production is not to be missed."
You wrote a glowing summary of your experience, but you qualified your opening praise with the phrase 'of a revival'. I am curious: why did you see a need to qualify? I have not actually seen the production yet...I do not go until May 30th, but I am finding that I am looking forward to this more than any of the other 8 productions that I am seeing. I know that I will not have 'discovery' in the way you do when you see a work for the very first time; but it is such a great musical, and the praise coming from this board is so strong that I am as excited as I have been to see anything since DEH and, before that, Hamilton.
Posted: 3/25/18 at 3:51pm
Jarethan, you're going on May 30th? That's the same day I'm going to see it! That's what I call a delightful coincidence.
Posted: 3/25/18 at 4:45pm
Posted: 3/25/18 at 8:46pm
Posted: 3/26/18 at 2:13am
Dancingthrulife2 said: "If you want to know how wondrous this production is, all you need to know is that Wouldn’t It Be Loverly made me cry. "
I actually thought Eliza could have led the ensemble a bit more through the number coming up with the Ideas herself and getting them to go along with it. Bart is very good at staging ensmbles to where they feel like real people that work and live in the world of the play. MFL still needs work in that regard.
The comments about Higgins moving around too much I do believe were a character choice but it also could have been an attempt to play to all audience members given the movement was happening on the thrust. I actually only got a good look at him when he was upstage in I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face. Once he moved downstage which was I just saw his back since I was sitting in the 500's.
Unless there are staging changes I would recommend getting seats in the 2,3 and 4 hundreds.
By the time the show opens it will be a very fine production. If you are expecting to hear a thrilling soprano that makes you quiver that probably will not happen but the otherwise you will be highly satisfied. And it will run under 3 hours.
Posted: 3/26/18 at 9:57am
I saw the show on Saturday evening. I was in the last row of the loge, and didn't have any problems hearing the actors onstage. The only person I could not understand was Manu Narayan.
Lauren Ambrose was absolutely delightful, and heartbreaking at times. I was a bit hesitant when I heard she was cast. The only thing I was familiar with in terms of her body of work, was her role of Clair on Six Feet Under. I didn't like her at all in that (the character, not her personally).
I've never been a fan of My Fair Lady in general, and seeing this production on Saturday did not change my mind. However, I can appreciate it for what it is. This is an exquisite production of a show I don't like. That doesn't mean I wasn't able to enjoy it. My biggest complaint is that it just seems to go on-and-on.
I loved the set and costumes. I thoroughly enjoyed the Ascot Gavotte and watching the ensemble. There was one guy in particular (I think it was Christopher Faison) who had such swag when he walked. I also enjoyed the Embassy Waltz.
Posted: 3/26/18 at 4:01pm
Curious about views from our seat. We're in the front row aisle, but on the house left section (B101, 102)
We sat front row center for King & I and it was glorious. I'm hoping that the deck won't be much higher with the turntable. Also that there won't be large set pieces in our way.
Any experiences?
Posted: 3/27/18 at 8:21am
MarkBearSF said: "Curious about views from our seat. We're in the front row aisle, but on the house left section (B101, 102)
We sat front row center for King & I and it was glorious. I'm hoping that the deck won't be much higher with the turntable. Also that there won't be large set pieces in our way.
Any experiences?"
I was row C seat 105, and the view was great! It's definitely very close, but you do not miss anything at all. Your seats will be great!
Posted: 3/27/18 at 8:35am
bwayphreak234 said: "I was row C seat 105, and the view was great! It's definitely very close, but you do not miss anything at all. Your seats will be great!"
Thanks!
