Reviews 2002
Reviews 2002
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music by Frederick Loewe, book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, directed by Richard Monette
Stratford Festival, Festival Theatre, Stratford
May 28-November 24, 2002
"Quite a Fair Higgins"
What a difference a cast change makes! Much of my criticism of Stratford's production of "My Fair Lady" centred on the imbalance in the show created by Colm Feore's hyperactive characterization of Professor Henry Higgins and his unbridled scene stealing. Now with Geraint Wyn Davies in the part the balance is restored, the show has a warmer feel and the contrary ending is much better prepared.
The infamous last line of "My Fair Lady" is Higgins's command, "Eliza, fetch me my slippers". Whether through error or intent what Wyn Davies said the night I attended was "Eliza, where the devil are my slippers?" For me this change encapsulates Wyn Davies general softening of the part. As I mentioned in my previous review, the greatest difficulty with the Lerner and Loewe musicalization of Shaw's "Pygmalion" is that having Eliza fall in love with Higgins makes no sense. To make the musical work the two principals have to lay the groundwork early on to make the unlikely outcome plausible. Colm Feore's aggressive tactics only made it more impossible to swallow. In contrast, Geraint Wyn Davies makes Higgins more absent-minded than intentionally hurtful. Feore sang "Never let a woman in your life" and "Why can't a woman be more like a man?" as if they were the professor's personal creed. Wyn Davies, however, makes them seem like the bluster his character resorts to when things don't go his way. His Higgins seems far less the tyrant but for the same reason is all the more lovable.
Wyn Davies makes use of four key moments in the show to that Higgins does have feelings for Eliza even if he doesn't understand them. When Wyn Davies' Higgins leads Eliza out to the embassy ball, he gives her an unmistakable look of admiration. When he dances with her at the ball before turning her over to other dance partners, he shows her the kind of support a friend might give to someone facing a great challenge. He delivers "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" as a real personal conflict rather than, as Feore did, another chance to show off. And in the final moments of the show (for those fortunate few lucky able to see his face in the shadow of his hat brim), Wyn Davies gives Higgins a wonderful expression of gratitude at Eliza's return as if he can't believe his luck that she would come back to him. When as carefully prepared as this, Lerner's romantic conclusion can finally seem credible.
To have one actor hog the spotlight is a great strain on everyone. With Feore gone, and Wyn Davies in the whole mood of the piece is changed. Unlike Feore, Wyn Davies gives focus to the other actors and as a result we enjoy their performances all the more, giving the show a greater richness and warmth. The chief beneficiary of Wyn Davies' graciousness is Cynthia Dale (Eliza) herself, who seemed under duress the entire show with Feore. Now she takes her rightful place as the central figure, breathes more easily, sings more clearly and glows with a radiance that never showed itself when Feore was on stage.
Wyn Davies allows the humour of Barry MacGregor's Colonel Pickering to burst forth as it should. Now we get to see mastery of this old hand at comic timing. James Blendick (Alfred Doolittle) and Joyce Campion (Mrs. Higgins) are still wonderful. This time I appreciated more how David Hogan and Kyle Blair as Doolittle's fellow imbibers amplify the humour of his scenes.
Not everything improves on second viewing. I might have hoped that Laird Mackintosh (Freddy) and Susan Gilmour (Mrs. Pearce) would find more in their roles, but they haven't. To have Raymond O'Neill play Zoltan Karpathy as a fool is clearly a mistake. If Karpathy seems like an idiot his verdict on Eliza means nothing.
Seen again the flaws in designer Debra Hanson's costumes are more obvious. Tiny decorative patches substitute for actually breaking down the costumes of the lower-class characters. Women accompanying me have told me that all of Hanson's costumes for Eliza make her look frumpy, including her gown for the embassy ball. The pastel summer dresses she has created for other women at the ball look more appropriate for Midwestern picnic than for the high society affair of the season.
Donna Feore's choreography is still as intricate and exciting as the first time. One needs at least two viewings to take it all in. But the wide range of dance forms she uses only shows up the lack of imagination in director Richard Monette's blocking of the scenes of dialogue. Here he falls back on his familiar pattern of lining up actors on only two axes so that anyone sitting on or near the two vomitoria (the entrances to the stage from under the seats) will see overlapping figures and obscured facial expressions. While the sound engineer had the volume turned up too high again for the overture, making it sound as if a mono recording were being blasted through the theatre's speakers, this time the volume settled to a more comfortable level during the first scene and remained so for the rest of the show.
Anyone who has hesitated in seeing Stratford's "My Fair Lady" should hesitate no longer. Now that Geraint Wyn Davies has restored the show's balance, its many virtues triumph over its flaws. Wyn Davies performs in the role until September 14. When Monette himself takes over the role (September 18-November 24), let's hope he can maintain the balance that makes the show click.
©Christopher Hoile
Note: This review is a Stage Door exclusive.
Photo: Geraint Wyn Davies and Cynthia Dale. ©2002 Stratford Festival.
2002-07-31
My Fair Lady