Pygmalion

PYGMALION

Malvern Festival Theatre

(MJE Productions, Mark Goucher Ltd and Theatre Royal Bath Productions)

An eloquent revival George Bernard Shaw’s masterpiece, Pygmalion, makes a triumphant appearance at Malvern Theatres this week, as it delights audiences on a national tour. The tale popularised by Lerner and Loewe’s musical, My Fair Lady, explores the idea that how we speak defines our positioning within a class system; a theory championed and executed by phonetics expert, Professor Higgins, following a fortuitous meeting with an esteemed peer and lowly flower girl one wet night in Covent Garden. However, he is not prepared for all of the outcomes resulting from his experiment.

A wonderfully adaptable set, cleverly designed by Jonathan Fensom, is fully utilised by director, David Grindley, who succeeded in presenting a fresh outlook on some iconic characters. Each and every cast member is superb in the role afforded them, no matter how minor for some, and the storytelling is clear and encourages us to care about the lives under scrutiny.

Alistair McGowen’s interpretation of Higgins is that of a petulant child and what he lacks in emotional depth he makes up for in physicality and zeal, while his mother, played by Rula Lenska, is steadfast and true. Charlotte Page, in the guise of Mrs Pearce is a force to be reckoned with, in contrast to Paul Brightwell’s gentle and charming, Colonel Pickering. Jamie Foreman revels in his role as Alfred Doolittle and delivers his scenes with gusto and perfect melodrama. The star of the night though is definitely Rachel Barry who gives an amazingly, engaging performance as the protagonist, Eliza Doolittle transforming from flower girl to socialite and proving to all that she was always a lady. Tea with the Eynsford-Hills is a joyous theatrical moment and shouldn’t be missed.

This is truly deserving of a West End run and is as relevant now as it has ever been.