MY FAIR LADY - Review: Motherwell Times

MOTHERWELL TIMES

Our Lady's show leaves audience Fair delighted

November 14 2007 by Victoria Weldon

THEATRE-GOERS were treated to a musical lesson in elocution as My Fair Lady hit the stage at Motherwell Civic Theatre.

Our Lady's High School Former Pupils' Light Opera Society performed the classic Lerner and Loewe musical with ease and appreciation, enjoying melodic hits such as Wouldn't It Be Loverly, I Could Have Danced All Night, On the Street Where you Live and I'm Getting Married in the Morning.

The show tells the story of cockney flower-seller Eliza Doolittle and the attempts of linguistics expert Professor Henry Higgins to transform her into an elegant and well-spoken young lady…

Esther O'Hara played the role of Eliza brilliantly, with all the character and charm it deserved. Her rendition of Just You Wait shows her feelings of confusion towards the professor, wanting to please him but hating him at the same, with lots of over-dramatics and comedy…

But while Esther's performance was brilliant, the undisputed star of the show was Jonathan Procter as long-term bachelor Henry Higgins. Jonathan has a natural on-stage presence and excelled in his – slightly camp – version of the professor…

Other highlights included Peter Nevans's performance as Eliza's dad, Alfred Doolittle, who offered laugh-out-loud comedy moments. His cockney accent was spot-on and his portrayal of the booming, good-for-nothing drunk was hilarious.

Colonel Pickering was played by John McKenzie and he too excelled in his role, oozing English upper-class charm and gentlemanly manners.

Add to this the lively singing and dancing of a good chorus line, brilliant costumes and a well designed set and this was a show not to be missed.

It was clear that the cast enjoyed this light-hearted romp through 1912 London and this made it all the more enjoyable to watch. My Fair Lady is always an audience favourite and Our Lady's High Light Opera Society made sure that this production was no different.

http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/leisure/Our-Lady39s-show-leaves-audience.3486863.jp