NODA REPORT
My Fair Lady, Thurrock Operatic Society
Directors and Choreographers: Ann and Gary Sullivan
Musical Director: Richard Wade
My first thoughts on the opening were, how did they get so many people on stage, and didn’t they do well to have no collisions. However, this proved to be a tribute to the skills of both the cast and the Directors for this production, which was a professional and entertaining evening’s entertainment. For the more mundane matters of costume and set, this was a well dressed production. The right costume is important, as is a well designed and/or dressed set and this show had both. The costumes, especially for the Ball and at Ascot were excellent, so well done to the wardrobe and make-up teams who rarely get praised.
However, the casting is what makes or breaks a show and there had obviously been thought put into this. This was a well cast production. Reg Wheeler and Harry Doyle were well paired as Henry Higgins and Col. Pickering, and more than matched by Maria Blakely as Eliza. These three gave very good performances. Their stage craft, singing and, for this production, diction talents, shone out. They were also very ably supported by their fellow principals. I particularly enjoyed Simon Lambert’s Freddy and his ‘On the Street where you live’ and José Webb’s portrayal of Mrs Higgins. Indeed the singing throughout the show was to a good standard, both from principals and the chorus.
There were some good laughs in this show, and the humour was well brought out. We laughed at Eliza as she ‘reverted’ at the end of the Ascot races and with John Hunting as Alfred P. Doolittle, a lovely character performance. Thank you to the chorus, from the youngest to the oldest, for the effort that you contributed to the success of this production. As with the rest of the production, both the choreography and the sound from the Orchestra were of a good standard.
Congratulations on a show to be proud of.
(Signed) Lesley Judd. Eastern Area Representative.
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