Theater Notes: Get ye to Gulfshore Playhouse
What a thrill it was to see the opening night of Gulfshore Playhouse’s brilliant production of “My Fair Lady.” On my critic’s scale of 1-10, this was an absolute 12. It was a flawless, totally absorbing and unique version of one of Broadway’s finest achievements.
Most of you will remember Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins in both New York and the movie. And lucky you, as I was, if you were able to see both Julie Andrews on Broadway and Audrey Hepburn playing Eliza Doolittle in the film. The Lerner and Lowes songs are totally contagious. This production gives us 20 of them. I urge you to get your tickets fast. This will be a sell out and it only runs until Dec. 11.
Director Kristen Coury created the magic that starts with a sensational musical of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion.” Then turns that into a radically unique and highly creative version for a small stage, no pit orchestra, one set, with a cast of only 10 people who play all the roles, dance all the dances and sing all the songs, with the help of two pianos and two guys who know how to play them. Kudos to the choreographer, Adam Cates.
And it all really, really works. Ripping through all the adventures that involved turning the flower girl from the gutter into someone who dances with the Prince at the Imperial Ball and never misses a vowel, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” Ms. Coury weaves a tapestry of exquisite nuances from the best of slapstick comedy, “Get me to the church on time,” right up and down the scale as scenes like “The Ascot Race Track” where the privileged can’t show excitement down heart gripping confrontations at such a deep feeling level filled with poignancy that gripped everyone of us in that audience. “I could have danced all night.”
The standing ovation she and her players were greeted with at the end the evening may well have been the loudest and longest of anything I have witnessed in Southwest Florida.
As usual, the production values at Gulfshore are superb. The single set with its aristocratic marble columns served every situation, as lighting skillfully dimmed It enough to make the street scenes wholly believable, as was Professor Higgins home. Amazing. Hats off to David L. Arsenault, scenic designer, and Jimmy Lawlor, Lighting designer. Mallory Hewell was the production stage manager and he had his hands full. I so admired the costumes. If you remember the play you once saw, all those people from all the social classes of life in London. Lauren Gaston got them done. And then had to juggle the changes as the 10 actors went in out of them endlessly until the resounding curtain came down.
I’ve saved the stars as the cheery on the trophy. Partricia Noonan was perfect as Liza. The woman can act full range, and sing so beautifully it made the rafters ring. She might even make Julie and Audrey envious.
Jeffrey Binder as Professor Higgins rose to equal heights. You could see they loved playing together with the help of a fine Pickering, William Parry.
Contact that box office. Fast. You will not want to miss the utter delight this play was. Tickets can be purchased at gulfshoreplayhouse.org.