Review: MY FAIR LADY at National Theatre

The musical revival of My Fair Lady, that came to The National Theatre this past holiday weekend, proves that this classic musical with lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe is an indestructible warhorse of a show that never grows stale. Director Bartlett Sher (with tour direction by Samantha Saltzman) has reinvigorated this masterpiece of superior integration of music, lyrics and book with some salient deconstruction-- but no amount of deconstruction can take away from the emotional pull of this material.

A highly professional sheen glimmered throughout the entire production by benefit of the assured brisk scenic transitions, the evocative lighting and, of course, the sensational music and lyrics. Only Gypsy and The Music Man share the same tight integration of book, music and lyrics making for a tight musical machine that runs like clockwork.

George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion (as well as the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea) is the source that gives heft to this masterful book by Lerner. The hallmark of this production is a clean "non-fussy" style of directing by Sher that is lean and taut, concentrating on the basics of the plot dynamics. This approach keeps things moving briskly as does the juxtaposition of the effectively designed Covent Garden and Higgins' Wimpole Street home sets by Michael Yeargan.

The emotionally moving songs and, alternately, whimsical songs of the lustrous score are so immortal now that the older generation embraces them like old friends and -judging from what I observed from the audience ---the younger generation was held rapt. "I Could Have Danced all Night", "Just You Wait", "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face", "Get Me to the Church on Time" and "On the Street Where You Live" were all showstoppers that kept the audience enthralled.

Director Sher brings out the maturity and independence of the flower girl Eliza who is transformed into a woman confident in her own intelligence. Madeline Powell delivers a very unique and almost precocious performance that is "no holds-barred" on the guttural Cockney accent but, then, Ms. Powell veers into a very dramatic conception of the part that caught me by surprise but totally works.

Ms. Powell has a ravishing almost operatic voice that she utilizes with powerful vocal control. Ms. Powells' rendition of "The Rain in Spain" and "I Could Have Danced All Night" are knockouts of musical fervor. Ms. Powell's rendition of "I Could Have Danced All Night" was a "tour-de-force" of vocal control as it built up slowly only to explode in a veritable force of resonant high notes ---as Donald Holder's evocative lighting focused on Ms. Powell.

Jonathan Grunert as Henry Higgins was splendid in song especially in "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" but less effective in speaking. (Ironically, his character's speech was more indecipherable and incoherent than the speech of those he was trying to improve). Aside from this, the acting portrayal is seemingly "all-over-the place" as Higgins is portrayed as a blustering "flibbertigibbet" -- and the character of Higgins needs to anchor the play to some degree. (I do not know if the director intended this or if it was the actor's choice, but it was a somewhat unsteady performance except in song).

Michael Hegarty's Alfred P. Doolittle was solid, joyous, and delightfully socially improper as the part calls for. The innovative insertion of some drag elements and French can-can dance in "Get Me to the Church on Time" certainly laid the technical groundwork for Mr. Hegarty to work with and, indeed, he triumphed with this approach.

Becky Saunders as Mrs. Higgins was excellent in delivering the tasteful understatement that her role demands.

Nathan Haltiwanger as the lovestruck Freddy Eynsford-Hill was ebullient and winning in his acting and in his rendition of the musically engaging "On the Street Where you Live".

Costumes by Catherine Zuber were alternately earthy with warm colors or subtly stunning and ethereally eye-pleasing as in the triumphant ensemble masterpiece of theatrical timing "Ascot Gavotte".

The large ensemble numbers in this very polished touring production drive this production with a vocally splendid company of ensemble performers. The songs advance the plot with vivid and seamless precision from the beginning until the end of the play.

It was a pleasure to hear the melodic strains of the live orchestra for this production under the music direction and conducting of Greg Paladino

Time can never wither the timeless appeal of My Fair Lady and this superb touring production proves it.

Running Time: Two Hours and fifty-five minutes including one intermission

My Fair Lady was presented on April 6th through 9th , 2023 at The National Theatre located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20004.

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