Laura Benanti took over the lead role in My Fair Lady this fall. She is one of my favorite Broadway actresses and entertainers (54 Below, Stephen Colbert’s show and Fosca on Youtube). Unfortunately she was not performing the night I attended. For the people seated next to us, that was intolerable and they left. While it can be a disappointment when a star is out, those who see the glass half-full can take the opportunity to let an understudy lead the way. Heather Botts nicely played Eliza Doolittle, especially as an actress. Her microphone was dialed a bit too low, however. I strained to hear some of her singing while other people boomed loudly.
This production of My Fair Lady was directed by Bartlett Sher. Unlike his triumphant revivals of South Pacific and The King and I, this show came across to me as underpopulated and unfinished. The thrust stage of the Vivian Beaumont Theater may be the reason. When the cast is on stage for the larger ensemble scenes, there is so much open space. The classic Act I closer at the Ascot Races was an odd visual of beautiful costumes in front of a lighted backdrop. It felt as if the budget had run out.
Much of the investment in the set design here seemed to be used to create Henry Higgins’ immensely handsome study. When a scene was to take place, the room lumbered from the back of the stage to the front. I use the word lumber deliberately as the noise of the effort was audible. Then the scene begins and there is still more movement to be completed as the backdrops have to fall into place while the actors are performing. That’s a lot of distraction in a show which, from my seat, never took off.
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe’s score contains quite a number of Broadway gems, including “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “On the Street Where You Live.” The story is well-known, involving a gentleman who takes a bet to transform a “flower girl” into a classy lady. Given the #MeToo moment, the timing of this revival is a bit unfortunate but Eliza’s got a feminist streak in her which is used effectively here. With this pedigree, I find it hard to pinpoint why the evening came across so flat and uninspired.
My guess is that the Svengali tone of the piece has been softened slightly. As Professor Henry Higgins, I found Harry Hadden-Paton’s characterization leaning to the side of nice or even goofy awkward frat boy dumb. He calls her names without any real edge to those insults. The words are indeed biting but the meanness did not register far enough. Since this interpretation has cast a much younger Higgins than is typical, the effect is perhaps less menacing and creepy.
I find it fascinating that this year Broadway has staged My Fair Lady, Carousel and Pretty Woman given the current national discourse on the treatment of women by men. Eliza is a particularly interesting case. Luckily plucked from obscurity, she is strongly driven to pursue a golden opportunity to raise her stature in life. That feminism is well represented in this version. The show as a whole, however, is fairly inert with a couple of highpoints: the Ascot race scene and the memorable performances of Colonel Pickering (Allan Corduner), Alfred P. Doolittle (Norbert Leo Butz) and the maid, Mrs. Pearce (Linda Mugleston).
I was really looking forward to seeing this musical. My Fair Lady is a favorite for many and there were older audience members obviously enjoying its famous score being played by a full orchestra. I am surprised how disappointed I was leaving the theater.