After almost 60 years, ‘My Fair Lady’ returned to Exeter this term as Footlights took over the Lemon Grove for four nights. As always, the production saw some of Exeter’s most talented musicians, actors, singers, dancers, and creatives join together to create a marvellous spectacle of musical theatre.
My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl. Having grown up with very little, Eliza is told that she simply is not proper enough to work in a flower shop: all she has ever wanted. She must turn to her very naysayer, a phoneticist named Dr Henry Higgins, in the hopes that he can teach her how to speak and behave like a lady. The story follows this process and the conflict between the two, due to Higgins’s abusive teaching methods, until Eliza finishes her education and can speak and act like a lady. By then, Higgins has developed an inconvenient attraction to Miss Doolittle but Eliza’s eyes have been opened to what opportunities lie in front of her and how much better she deserves.
a marvellous spectacle of musical theatre.
I was not familiar with the story before seeing this production and still found myself very engaged by the performance and enjoyed it thoroughly. The ensemble were fantastic, especially in the choreographed numbers such as ‘With a Little Bit of Luck (Reprise)’ and ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’: two large-ensemble numbers featuring Daniel Stanger-Cornwell as Alfred Doolittle, Eliza’s drunken father. Stanger-Cornwell gave a great performance, serving as a sometimes much-needed comic relief in the story and entertaining the audience thoroughly.
The performance that most impressed me, however, was that of Corin Vafidis, playing Dr Henry Higgins. A Bass Choral Scholar at the University of Exeter Chapel Choir, and having performed in previous Footlights Productions such as Singin’ in the Rain and The Producers, it is no surprise that Corin gave an excellent performance both in his acting and in his singing. Still, the energy and intensity Corin put into playing Higgins was astounding, his scenes captivated the entire audience and were, for me, a highlight of the show.
The band played with a confidence that reflected both their innate ability and the quality to which they had rehearsed.
Matching the quality of the cast’s performance was that of the band. Featuring some of the best instrumentalists the University has to offer, this ensemble’s potential was aptly captured under the musical direction of Harry Smith. The band played with a confidence that reflected both their innate ability and the quality to which they had rehearsed. It is always my opinion that a production can only be as good as its band and, for My Fair Lady, that set the bar pretty high.
The staging and set design of any show performed in the Lemon Grove, or any venue as multi-purpose, is always an additional challenge for a production. The set of My Fair lady consisted of rotating flats, draped background-sheets, and bundles of furniture carried on and off by the cast. The use of the space was very well done and the team were able to clearly and effectively transform the stage in between each scene; set designers Jack Crundwell and Donna Leny Hansen must be commended here.
[…] found myself in awe of the talent displayed by some of the musicians and performers
The only less-enjoyable aspect of the production was the seating arrangement. Arguably one of the most frustrating challenges of staging a show in the Lemon Grove is managing to fit a large number of seats comfortably within the space. For the most part, staging was used well to raise the back rows so they could see over the audience in front of them. However, due to a lack of stage blocks, the side audience was not raised and some people, myself included, found they had an obstructed view of the performance, especially for some moments which took place lying down on the floor.
Overall, I enjoyed the performance of My Fair Lady and found myself in awe of the talent displayed by some of the musicians and performers. I am excited to see what production Footlights sinks its teeth into next, and await the performances of the actors stepping into the shoes of those graduating this summer.
