MY FAIR LADY (2018) Previews — Page 6

I’m told by my friend now that in the end...

Updated On: 3/16/18 at 12:56 AM

WhizzerMarvin said: "MM, the sets are more lavish than those for King and I and probably equal to South Pacific, though Henry’s residence is the biggest wow of the three. It reminded me of that massive turning set in Act One- which I believe won a Tony.

Re the ending: I’m usually a purist with revivals. I want every note of the score and every line of the book, and we get that here, but with a big tweak that I think totally works today. (Even though no one has spelled it out, it must be obvious what Sher decided to do...) It might upset some, but I thought it worked."

Why not a compromise? They’ve both learned and grown. She can still show her indepenbce without leaving him behind.

I think of the revival of Kiss Me Kate, where in the finale, she winks at the audience, letting them know that in no way she will be submissive to him.

Thanks Whizzer for the answer.

And speaking of designs, I found an Instagram picture of the show curtain/thrust stage and it looks freaking AMAZING!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgXcm-zHhYF/?tagged=myfairlady

BroadwayConcierge said: "I’m told by my friend now that in the end...

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Thanks! I think that could be a fair interpretation of the final scene.

Sounds like Shaw would have LOVED that ending.

It seems like this production succeeded on almost all counts including being a perfectly faithful production except for one thing that allowed AE to wallow in his outrage as he loves to do. So something for everyone to enjoy.

Updated On: 3/16/18 at 01:10 AM

So let me understand - Higgins, as immature, condescending, annoying and possibly sexist as he might be - takes a poor, uneducated person off the street and helps her make her way. Then as thanks she takes everything he gave her and leaves him to rot away by himself? What kind of ending is that? It seems to change the tone of the ending completely from something more complex and ambiguous to something rather sad and depressing.

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Updated On: 3/16/18 at 01:13 AM

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And something that seems to be of no concern to our experts here:

It's the presumption, qolbinau, it's the presumption.

Eliza is a redhead. It looked like Ambrose didn’t even wear a wig, but her hairstyle changed so many times that they must have been wigs?

With the ending- I guess the show is old enough, and certainly Pygmalion is old enough, that we don’t have to use spoilers to discuss it.

From everything I’ve read I agree that Shaw would very much love this ending. He was strongly opposed to Henry and Eliza having any sort of happy ending and actively fought productions of Pygmalion that attempted to give them one.

I know the ending of My Fair Lady is usually far more ambiguous, and the film version almost implies that they’re going to a be couple.

I don’t see Eliza as being ungrateful at all for what Higgins has given her. She was a bet and an object to him. She is thankful, but moving on with her life. She’s empowered. It reminded me of A Doll’s House. I thought for this production in 2018 it really worked.

It’s not like Bartlett cut up the book and softened Henry for the #metoo movement. Every word is in and he lets it play out as written, with just a slight alteration in stage direction at the end (which admittedly makes a big impact). Still, I think the choice can easily be defended by following Shaw’s wishes.

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So did they change the line Henry has before "A Hymn to Hymn" when Pickering is on the phone with the police and they ask her hair color and Henry shouts from the next room, "Brown!"? Such a small little change, just a little curious.

In that final scene, does Eliza come in, turn off the phonograph, say "I washed my face and hands before I come, I did," Higgins says his line, and then Eliza exits the theatre? Was it strange for her to exit thirty seconds after re-entering?

I'm totally open to playing around with the ending. In Gary Griffin's great chamber production in 2002, he staged that final scene with instead of a gramophone, Henry was walking down the street hearing Eliza's voice in his head, and then he runs into Eliza, and they say their final lines as a coy way to recall the ups and downs they experienced together. I think any production of My Fair Lady has to deal with the fact that this final scene doesn't honor Shaw's intentions, which after sticking to his words verbatim for so long, feels off. The scene as written just never works today--in productions I've seen recently, even the conservative elderly patrons around me complain about that ending. However, whenever I see Pygmalion, the ending is shockingly abrupt and lacking in resolution. The best productions of My Fair Lady play the final scene in unique ways to honor Shaw's intentions and give some resolution.

I understand the original intentions of Shaw - I’d just like a happier ending :)

It doesn’t mean they have to be lovers, but the hope for friendship and reconciliation would be nice to imply.

They’ve both made each other better.

Ravenclaw said: "So did they change the line Henry has before "A Hymn to Hymn" when Pickering is on the phone with the police and they ask her hair color and Henry shouts from the next room, "Brown!"? Such a small little change, just a little curious.

In that final scene, does Eliza come in, turn off the phonograph, say "I washed my face and hands before I come, I did," Higgins says his line, and then Eliza exits the theatre? Was it strange for her to exit thirty seconds after re-entering?

I'm totally open to playing around with the ending. In Gary Griffin's great chamber production in 2002, he staged that final scene with instead of a gramophone, Henry was walking down the street hearing Eliza's voice in his head, and then he runs into Eliza, and they say their final lines as a coy way to recall the ups and downs they experienced together. I think any production ofMy Fair Ladyhas to deal with the fact that this final scene doesn't honor Shaw's intentions, which after sticking to his words verbatim for so long, feels off. The scene as written just never works today--in productions I've seen recently, even the conservative elderly patrons around me complain about that ending. However, whenever I see Pygmalion, the ending is shockingly abrupt and lacking in resolution. The best productions ofMy Fair Ladyplay the final scene in unique ways to honor Shaw's intentions and give some resolution."

Yes I found it odd for her to come in and then leave immediately.

It’s late so not thinking too clearly but why DID she come back?

In addition to saying “red” instead of “brown,” was the line “about 21” changed as well (in reference to Eliza’s age during tbe same phone call)?

Almost forgot to ask this: How is Christopher Gattelli's choreography?