Last year, Sheffield Theatres staged Stephen Sondheim’s Company as its Christmas show, a risky choice perhaps – it’s probably not many people’s idea of a festive pick-me-up – but one that paid off. This year’s revival of My Fair Lady is an altogether safer bet, though this isn’t just a perfunctory run-through; director Daniel Evans and his cast have lavished a huge amount of care and attention on the material and the resulting production is a delight.
Written in 1956, My Fair Lady has a timeless quality. Its commentary on class structure and struggle still resonates, and songs such as ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly’ and ‘On The Street Where You Live’ have an immense amount of charm. Evans’ production is also blessed with a cast more than up to the task of bringing these iconic characters to life.
Dominic West, making his first ever foray into musical theatre, is a charismatic Henry Higgins; though the production doesn’t shy from showing him to be old-fashioned in his attitudes to the point of misogyny, West brings a rakish, louche charm to the role. In West’s last appearance at the Crucible he was playing a bluff Yorkshire version of Iago; here he transforms once more, demonstrating a fine singing voice in the process.
Good as West is, it’s Carly Bawden as Eliza Doolittle who makes the most lasting impression. Hers is a stunning performance; she’s believable as both the “crushed cabbage leaf” of a Cockney flower girl and as the “proper Lady” she is becomes. Her rendition of I Could Have Danced All Night’ is outstanding and she gets to show off her vocal range in magnificent ‘Show Me.’ The chemistry between Bawden and West is superb and it’s just a joy to watch as his gruff exterior slowly softens.
The supporting cast are also on good form; the comic reactions of Nicola Sloane as Higgins’ long-suffering housekeeper are beautifully timed and, though slightly under-used, Louis Maskell is sweet as Eliza’s suitor, Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Martyn Ellis, as Alfred T Doolittle, delivers a raucous rendition of ‘Get Me To The Church On Time,’ in which the ensemble, brilliantly choreographed by Alistair David, breathlessly spin, weave and dance around each other until finally collapsing to the floor.
Paul Willis’ set design makes superb use of the revolving stage to conjure the play’s locations; the flower market where Higgins and Eliza first meet, Higgins’ spacious bachelor’s quarters, and the silvery opulence of Royal Ascot.
The whole production is incredibly polished and there’s really very little to fault it. It’s the sort of thing that could easily transfer successfully to the West End or even Broadway – with a little bit of bloomin’ luck.
