8:37am Thursday 11th March 2010
By Sue Le Blond
Shaw a bore? Not bloody likely! Brought up on My Fair Lady, the hummable musical film, I confess I expected to find the original play a huge yawn. Not a bit of it.
Ad Hoc’s energety and a direction that brings out a vibrant feminist and social message, makes this revival food for thought, balanced with a lot of digestible fun.
The story of Eliza Doolittle’s (Sarah Cooke) journey from Cockney flower girl to rounded vowels and elegant small talk and much further is well known, as is the peppery tuition of Professor Higgins (Graham Paton).
Jenny Lane’s production reveals a surprisingly complex take on the gender war and makes the most of supporting roles. Paul Batson as the “undeserving poor dustman” Alfred Doolittle, David Wood as Colonel Pickering, the posh Eynsford Hill ladies (Pat Cannings and Caroline Murray), the voices of restraint in housekeeper (Sylvia Clegg) and mother (Dot Barker) are all spot on.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/trade_directory/