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Beverley Brommert
Continuing what is fast becoming a welcome tradition, Cape Town Opera and Pieter Toerien Productions have joined forces to stage a perennially loved musical, and this year they have surpassed themselves with MY FAIR LADY at the Artscape Theatre.
This production of MY FAIR LADY is luscious and audience-seducing: an amalgam of spectacular sets, elaborate period costumes, nimble dancing and above all, superior vocal and dramatic performance. In short, a memorable addition to the current programme of festive entertainment.
Not much reflection is needed to realise why this particular musical stands out as a cornerstone of the repertoire. Lerner's witty lyrics and Loewe's hummable, beguiling melodies leaven the basic narrative inspired by Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw's acerbic satire of social mores and mobility, with more than a touch of romance for added sweetness.
As such, it appeals to a broad spectrum of tastes, from the intellectual to the sentimental, with pure entertainment as the common denominator.
Set in 1910, the year in which the death of King Edward VII marked the end of the Edwardian era's mellow, genteel elegance, it invites stage designers to exercise their ingenuity in evoking this age of latent complexity. Between them, Greg King (set design) Denis Hutchinson (lighting design), Mark Malherbe (sound design) and Maritha Visagie (costume coordinator) have more than met the challenges of their commission.
The audience is transported to early 20th century London, from Covent Garden to an embassy ball, with Wimpole Street and Ascot in between. All managed with seamless grace and consistently convincing.
Under Kevin Kraak's direction the 12-strong orchestra in the pit maintains sound and steady accompaniment from sprightly overture to lyrical finale.
Director Steven Stead's unfailing instinct for insightful interpretation and casting is a major element in the success of this version of MY FAIR LADY, with nicely calculated injections of humour varying the narrative's pace and progress.
Acting-wise, from smallest cameo to lead, unanimity of purpose drives the large cast to deliver impressively.
Craig Urbani, as Higgins, took a little time to warm into his role on opening night, but once settled into the persona, his energy, comic flair and impeccable diction made this eccentric individual exasperating and sympathetic in equal measure, as intended.
Brittany Smith's Eliza Doolittle is feisty in her painful transition from scruffy proletarian to well-spoken aristocrat, lovable and very, very human. Her pure, operatic soprano is a notable asset as she warbles her way through familiar gems like Wouldn't It Be Loverly and I Could Have Danced All Night.
Graham Hopkins, as Colonel Pickering, offers an admirable foil to the volatile Higgins; plausible at all times, dignified, reasonable, and compassionate despite the prejudices of his generation and social standing.
Equally appealing in very different wise is veteran Mark Richardson, a show stealer as the uncouth and venal dustman Doolittle. A fine, resonant voice, neat footwork in a pas de trois, and an enviable grasp of characterisation earn him spontaneous applause from the audience.
Sandi Dlangalala (Freddy) is first-rate with his confident, warm-toned execution of one of the loveliest songs in the show, On the Street Where You Live, as well as giving a credible portrayal of Eliza's callow, besotted suitor.
Adrienne Pearce, as Higgins' mother, makes a small but delightful contribution to the action with her cut-glass accent and trenchant views on her son's wayward behaviour.
Ensembles of diverse character recur throughout the show, some robust, some languid and mannered, but all displaying well-drilled synchronisation and optimum placing on the stage. Full marks to choreographer Duane Alexander.
The only downside to such a comprehensive success is that it will be exceedingly difficult to match its calibre any time soon...
MY FAIR LADY runs at the Artscape Theatre until 12 January 2025. Tickets can be booked online through Webtickets.