MY FAIR LADY (2018) Reviews — Page 2

WSJ is positive.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/my-fair-lady-review-grown-accustomed-to-success-1524184200

Updated On: 4/19/18 at 08:34 PM

Quite surprised at the lack of praise for HHP. I thought his performance was brilliant.

I'd say WSJ is mixed. He likes Lauren Ambrose. Doesn't much like HHP or NLB. Likes the orchestra and physical production, but says there's nothing surprising about it and wonders why he isn't more effusive about it. He ends saying:

"I enjoyed this revival very much, but I’d expected to be more wholehearted about it, and I wonder whether another director might have gotten livelier performances out of Mr. Hadden-Paton and Mr. Butz. I even caught myself wondering at times whether Mr. Sher was going through the motions instead of digging deeper into “My Fair Lady.” Having loved what he did with “The King and I” and “South Pacific,” I took for granted that he’d make an equally strong and consistent impression this time around. Perhaps he made the same mistake."

"Hadden-Paton’s chilly Higgins might have a few pangs of regret during “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” which is sung like an absurd declaration that a relationship that never was is now over, but the famous final scene of the production will send shivers down the spine of anyone who has ever gone back to the home of an old lover to pick up their things. It is just that mutually unpleasant. Two people got some of what they wanted materially, but no one ever felt known, let alone loved."

I must have seen a different show. I thought the ending was sort of problematic simply because Hadden-Patton and Ambrose played it with such tenderness and they both emoted so much (and exuded such sadness) that their parting was actually heartbreaking and not the empowering moment I think Sher intended. Ambrose's body language as she leaves was not that of a confident young woman with the world ahead of her. She looked forlorn and heartbroken.

Good point. I personally only saw the film once many years ago, so I was watching HHP without bias.

I don't think that true about Rex Harrison. Those of us who've been around for a while have seen Ian Richardson and Richard Chamberlain play the role. It's also not so divorced from the R&H shows - Rodgers & Hammerstein even were thinking of tackling it themselves, but couldn't figure out how to do it.

When I first saw this 50 years (or when I read Pygmalion) I didn't realize that Eliza was understood by Shaw's audience to have been a prostitute -- that was a 'well known trope' for young women who sold flowers in Covent Garden -- it's in several paintings as well.

As I read these comments, maybe Sher (and the other creatives) are connecting more with all of that. The whole 'absurd' idea of the romance/marriage to Freddy is reflective of that -- how long is it going to be before the enamored rich boy figures out what's really in her background -- and Shaw making fun of the 'landed class' by creating the soon to be undone FEH.

I haven't seen it yet (next week!) but it's something I'll be looking for.

Sher is so interesting. He def. has his tricks, and I've seen some of his smaller shows and really enjoyed his production of Golden Boy - but he seems to do fair less with his commercial productions. I didn't care for how his Fiddler looked. I hated seeing the stage hands move the set, etc. Just seemed cheap and yet giant at the same time.

Newsday is an absolute Rave!

https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater/my-fair-lady-review-1.18116201

Mike66 said: "When I first saw this 50 years (or when I read Pygmalion) I didn't realize that Eliza was understood by Shaw's audience to have been a prostitute -- that was a 'well known trope' for young women who sold flowers in Covent Garden -- it's in several paintings as well.

As I read these comments, maybe Sher (and the other creatives) are connecting more with all of that. The whole 'absurd' idea of the romance/marriage to Freddy is reflective of that -- how long is it going to be before the enamored rich boy figures out what's really in her background -- and Shaw making fun of the 'landed class' by creating the soon to be undone FEH.

I haven't seen it yet (next week!) but it's something I'll be looking for."

But Eliza is a good girl she is! When I was younger, I didn't know why she kept saying that and why a policeman would arrest her for talkin' to the gentleman. Then later on I realized there were flower girls and there were "flower girls" and Eliza wanted people to know she was the former and not the latter.

About your other point, I don't want to spoil this for you since you're seeing it next week, but click if you dare:

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "Smaxie said: "I don't think that true about Rex Harrison. Those of us who've been around for a while have seen Ian Richardson and Richard Chamberlain play the role. It's also not so divorced from the R&H shows - Rodgers & Hammerstein even were thinking of tackling it themselves, but couldn't figure out how to do it."

I think the fact that R&H couldn't figure out how to do it pretty much explains it all. It's a contemporary of R&H shows but it is a different type of musical when it comes to form and structure and dramatic build."

It's always been my understanding that the problem was the ending -- and that Shaw wouldn't allow any changes to the ending in Pygmalion, and that it was only after he died that his estate agreed to allow the "ambiguous" ending that was in the original production. Is that wrong?

Mike66 said: "When I first saw this 50 years (or when I read Pygmalion) I didn't realize that Eliza was understood by Shaw's audience to have been a prostitute -- that was a 'well known trope' for young women who sold flowers in Covent Garden -- it's in several paintings as well.

As I read these comments, maybe Sher (and the other creatives) are connecting more with all of that. The whole 'absurd' idea of the romance/marriage to Freddy is reflective of that -- how long is it going to be before the enamored rich boy figures out what's really in her background -- and Shaw making fun of the 'landed class' by creating the soon to be undone FEH.

I haven't seen it yet (next week!) but it's something I'll be looking for."

I think that while it was common for flower girls to also be prostitutes both the play and the musical make Eliza out to be extremely young, naive, and virtuous. That doesn't mean she was virginal or anything, just that she tries to be a "good girl." She hesitates about eating the chocolates because she's afraid she'll be drugged and raped.

I think the main reason she won't be happy with Freddy is because Freddy despite his sweetness is shallow and sort of dumb. Higgins for all his faults is keenly intelligent.