MY FAIR LADY (2018) Previews — Page 31

I would rate Sher's MY FAIR LADY as, if anything, only slightly less impressive than his nigh flawless SOUTH PACIFIC  and far more impressive than his magnificent KING AND I.  

As to the suggestion that this thread has seen progressively more critical reviews of the leading lady's singing as previews proceeded and the suggestion that she's not vocally holding up as the run continues, I saw the show Sunday.  Lauren Ambrose sang gorgeously and acted her heart out.  It's a stunning performance in a beautiful production. 
I saw no signs of any failures  by Ambrose in picking up cues.  I saw no signs of any awkward posture while she was singing.  If she had been doing any of that before, she's not now.  And rather than any shortchanging of the comedy, Ambrose is completely nailing it.  Although I acknowledge that she may have come a long way in any or all of these departments, if that's true she's now graduated in each magna cum laude.

I completely disagree with the notion that Diana Rigg is not making a grand impression as Mrs. Higgins.  Just the opposite. I completely disagree with the notion that Jordan Donica is a less than stellar Freddy, much less with his performance being abysmal.  I completely disagree with the criticisms of Norbert Leo Butz's Doolittle.  He's wonderful.  I completely reject that this is a flat MFL.  To the contrary, it's a beautifully designed, lavish, intimate MFL with its leads giving brilliant Shavian performances and exquisite musical interpretations as well.  

(and, yes, although it should always go without saying, this is "just my opinion..." duh, how could it be otherwise)

If this production had nothing else, it would have Harry Hadden-Paton's unforgettable I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, and Ambrose's gorgeously sung and acted I Could Have Danced All Night, both of which should be seen by anyone who cares deeply about the art of musical theatre performance.

But those are not this MFL's only highpoints.  Far from it.

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 09:05 AM

In the preview performance I saw during one of the blizzards (which is how I got third row center orchestra tickets), I felt totally mesmerized and uplifted by Donica's performance and underwhelmed by Butz's performance until his scene with Ambrose and Donica in Act II and  "Get Me to the Church". Before that, I felt something was off with his Alfred Doolittle.

I truly saw it through unbiased eyes. I really loved her in Six Feet Under and while I was very skeptical about her casting before, Sher has never let me down before. Her casting seemed so out of left field that I figured she must be brilliant. You wouldn't pass over a slew of great Broadway actresses for her unless she was bringing something special to the role, but unfortunately her voice is pretty weak and her presence is lacking. She just doesn't have the right qualities for this part. It's a beautiful production regardless, but it has a weak Eliza. She just seems so in over her head. She gives a perfectly fine performance, but for a much anticipated revival of a favorite musical, you need a leading lady better than just fine.

Also, JIMG3, congrats on opening, but I think you really might be the biased one here. Lol.  Aren't you an user or something at the Beaumont?  I was just riffing off of some other reviews that shared similar thoughts to me.  All of these opinions are valid and if you can't take some criticism, theatre isn't for you.

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 05:13 PM

Whoa someone who doesn't like the production is a hateful shrew? That escalated quickly.

I'd be curious to learn how many of those with a negative review of this show were seated farther away from the stage when they saw it. I think particularly regarding Lauren Ambrose's Eliza, being up close and personal was the ticket to catching the greatness in her performance. I myself was in the loge 3rd row center, and watched the show through binoculars the whole night long to not miss a nuance or subtle look.

Isn't it the actor's job to convey those subtleties to the back row regardless? Sure, and in this perhaps the show fell short. My binoculars made all the difference in totally enjoying what I saw. 

(And no, nothing would have saved the horrific drag routine in Act II, save maybe leaving the lens caps on the lenses completely.)

I'm not talking about Ambrose specifically but jut generally about Eliza. I think we've had so many Elizas who sing in the way we expect to hear (strong soprano) and totally sing out all of her songs without much in the way of progression from "Loverly" to "Without You" and who I found lacking in the depth department when it came to their portrayal that I would find it refreshing that a director would go actor first so long as the actress isn't inept at singing.

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 07:31 PM

I bought a LincTix for this back in March and didn't realize it would be the first performance post-Tonys. I was kind of hoping they'd pick up an award or two, but alas. I saw the show from second row, and was thrilled to be so up close and personal. But I'm a bit "eh" on the show itself. I love the show and find it infuriatingly fascinating. I think Higgins was sensational, and almost felt like it was his show. I was just on the journey with him. Mrs Pearce was brilliant. She conveyed so much with so little dialogue. Pickering was great. Mrs. Higgins was brilliant in her subtly and delivery. 

What I'm baffled by is Ambrose. I saw her performance on the Tonys and it she came off a little...Laura in the Glass Menagerie. Now seeing it in context, I get it a bit more, but she really has some baffling choices. She does a lot of extended hand acting. Her singing, while not bad, just wasn't what I wanted. Her "Shouldn't It Be Loverly" was just eh. I wanted it to be infectious. That's when we fall on Eliza's side. But it just wasn't underwhelming. And I was 2nd row, so those saying she is better up close...And that's to say, she wasn't bad at all. She just didn't quite have that spark I wanted. When she was left alone on stage to sing, I felt my gaze wandering around the set. 

The set/direction was good, but not great. I loved South Pacific, loved The King and I's restraint. But I'm kind of sick of seeing stage hands have to move his sets around the stage. The study whirling into place was cool at first, but them lumbering after awhile. Besides the study set, there really wasn't anything that was all that gasp-inducing. Watching these chorus girls struggling to push around a lamp post was just awkward. 

All that to say that I really enjoyed myself. I loved watching Higgins and Elize spare. And I really enjoyed the scene after the gala, I just don't know that Ambrose is a stage actress. She seemed to play baffled the whole time. 

I did a production of "My Fair Lady" last summer and our Eliza went up at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night" and so, in a Broadway setting, I'd expect that Eliza to match her note for note, and she didn't. She gave a fine performance, but it wasn't one that I left leaving like YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS, which made me look at Sher like, why? Why her? I didn't get it. There has to be a hundred actresses who could do what she did. Maybe it was her red hair? I don't get it. 

"Loverly" is like one of the easiest moments. Just be funny. And she wasn't. And she wasn't charming. I didn't get why Higgins would pick THIS girl out of the bunch. I just wanted more. 

I get that some people might prefer a more lighthearted interpretation and generally a fun night out. But this revival is the first and only one production of the musical that the lyrics of Wouldn't It Be Loverly made sense to me. It was the first time I actually believed that all Eliza wants "is a room somewhere far away from the cold night air." Neither Hepburn's nor Andrews's interpretation did the magic Ambrose's grounded humanity did on me, not to mention the subpar touring and regional productions I've seen. It seems that many productions start intending to recreate the world in the movie or the obc, instead of going back to the text where you'll be surprised by what you'll find if you really dig into it.

Updated On: 6/15/18 at 07:54 AM