MY FAIR LADY (2018) Reviews — Page 8

Kad said: "What I wouldn't give for a tie between her and Katrina Lenk come Tony time."

If there's ever been a time for a Tony tie, this is truly it. Their performances are equally extraordinary and deserving.

TheatreRocks said: "How is Jordan Donica'sOn The Street Where you Live? It's my favorite song and I've yet to go."

I thought it was beautiful and the track I'm most looking forward to when the cast recording comes out.

Several people on here posted that they didn't like it though.

¯\_(?)_/¯

I liked Jordan Donica's singing. I disliked his characterization of Freddy however. Not funny or endearing at all. Very stiff and cold, and also the two times i saw him went up on lines multiple times. He doesn't make me confident that Eliza would be happy with Freddy at all.

I read the prose epilogue of Shaw's that says that Eliza marries Freddy but remains friends (although friends that frequently quarrel) with Higgins. However in Sher's ending one could assume that Eliza is leaving and will marry Freddy. And so I think it's important that the character of Freddy is someone the audience can get behind. A nice sweet boy who will adore Eliza for life.

Therefore I had a real problem with Donica's portrayal which was so stiff and humorless. He made Freddy seem (unintentionally I think) like a bigger snob than Higgins. In Sher's otherwise wonderful revival I thought Donica was the biggest weak link. Nice voice, looks pretty, but I agree with Higgins when he laughs "Marry Freddy?"

Here's a video from the creative team. And to those who think Michael Yeargan's brilliantly huge/lavish and simple/clever set designs won't win the Tony, must have not seen this production yet. This is probably the best set designs that Michael Yeargan has ever made through his entire career.

Not to nitpick what was obviously a luxurious parade of sets at MFL, but I too was bugged by the lack of consistent tone between the different sets. I loved the false perspective at work in the Covent Garden and Wimpole Street exteriors-- why oh why didn't Yeargan apply that principle when he designed Higgins Study as well? Or the Ballroom? Or Mrs Higgins' Conservatory? And I agree with Kad that the Music Hall flats unfolded for "Get Me To the Church On Time" were jarring for their change of aesthetic from the rest of the show. (That's a complaint I'd lob at ALL the design and choreo choices for that ghastly number-- but that's a different discussion.)

Yeargan is a meticulous designer known for relentlessly editing out from his designs anything that does not contribute to the story he wants to tell. In MFL, he seems to have wanted to play with all the fingerpaints in his paintbox, tone be damned, without giving these designs the same editorial eye that made his very best past designs so stellar.

Updated On: 5/19/18 at 03:01 PM

Here's a 23 min segment that Lauren and Harry did on WNYC earlier this month:

https://www.wnyc.org/story/my-fair-lady-broadway/

In the beginning of the clip, you get to hear a good bit of Lauren singing "Loverly" and at the end you hear "Rain in Spain".

Stagecraft also has a 23 mins interview with them on their podcast:

http://stagecraft.libsyn.com/ep31-lauren-ambrose-harry-hadden-paton

Easier to view video of Richard Ridge's interview and Q&A session with Lauren Ambrose:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h9vtAb99J4

steven22 said: "Just got to the theater. Lauren is out for the mat. I was able to get a refund for my linctix and then quickly went on my phone to buy a ticket for a Saturday night in August hoping she’ll be on then."

Thursday night at the stage door, she didn't talk (she indicated that she had to save her voice, I guess she must be under the weather) but she was still so gracious in signing everyone's playbills. More importantly, I was astounded by the acting choices she made. I know the text like the back of my hand, yet she found so many new and inspiring layers in her character.

Updated On: 5/19/18 at 04:55 PM

poisonivy2 said: "I read the prose epilogue of Shaw's that says that Eliza marries Freddy but remains friends (although friends that frequently quarrel) with Higgins. However in Sher's ending one could assume that Eliza is leaving and will marry Freddy. And so I think it's important that the character of Freddy is someone the audience can get behind. A nice sweet boy who will adore Eliza for life.”

Marry Freddy, ha!

Higgins mocks the idea.

Shaw acknowledged it.

But not for a moment did I assume it from Sher’s My Fair Lady.

My takeaway is this: no one, not even Eliza, knows what’s next for her

But she’a going to make good.

(i too thought Jordan’s Freddy was a decent chap But that’s neither here nor there.)

Updated On: 5/19/18 at 05:31 PM

Don't forget tomorrow is Eliza Doolittle day!

ArtMan said: "Anybody know if Lauren is in for the evening performance?"

Just got to the theatre. She’s out for tonight as well



offering refunds ir exchange.

Ravenclaw said: "steven22 said: "Just got to the theater. Lauren is out for the mat. I was able to get a refund for my linctix and then quickly went on my phone to buy a ticket for a Saturday night in August hoping she’ll be on then."

Thursday night at the stage door, she didn't talk (she indicated that she had to save her voice, I guess she must be under the weather) but she was still so gracious in signing everyone's playbills. More importantly, I was astounded by the acting choices she made. I know the text like the back of my hand, yet she found so many new and inspiring layers in her character."

I agree. I think Lauren plays Eliza so atypically but true to the text anyway that I would find almost everyone else to be so typical.