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Pygmalion Reviews
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Men Behaving Badly: Shaw's Pygmalion Review by: Beth M., Nov 8, 2007 |
I found Pygmalion to be an absolutely delightful play with brilliant characterizations. It is a biting satire of the class system in England as well as a play that deeply explores human emotions, both expressed and unexpressed.
I am sure that everyone is very familiar with its general plot from having seen the beloved My Fair Lady either on stage or on screen.
Jefferson Mays, (whose work in I Am My Own Wife, Journey’s End and the ... read more City Center Encore’s production of Of Thee I Sing I greatly admired), gives an absolute tour de force performance as Henry Higgins. He has a spectacular stage presence and does a brilliant job as the sharp witted, extraordinarily self centered, insult throwing, often mean spirited (but in an oddly amusing manner) phonetics professor who makes that bet with
Colonel Pickering: that he can turn the clearly lower class flower seller Eliza Doolittle, who he had been observing in a rain soaked gutter, and whose speech consists of unintelligible, screeching Cockney utterances, into a woman whom he can pass off as an upper class Duchess in English high society.
Mr. Mays does a superb job playing a very cold and detached man, who seems to regard Eliza as the object of a scientific experiment and his personal playground, rather than as a woman with feelings. It is very obvious that he cares only about winning his bet; he does not appear to care at all. He clearly regards her throughout most of the play as a lowly creature even after he has taught her, along with Colonel Pickering, the proper speech and demeanor that enables him (actually her) to win the bet.
I was also struck by the moments of Higgins’s vulnerability towards the end of the play, very subtly and touchingly portrayed by Mays.
Boyd Gaines, who shared the stage last season with Mays in Journey’s end, is a delightful Colonel Pickering, who, while he has some of Higgins’s insensitivity at times, is far better mannered, genteel and amiable.
Something that I did not remember from My Fair Lady (and I am wondering if this is in the musical) is the fact that Eliza actually goes to Professor Higgins’s home and asks for speech lessons, as she wants desperately to better herself so that she can work in a flower shop in order to escape her fate of selling flowers on the street. Eliza exhibits, right from the start, that shrewdness and ambition that ultimately leads her to becoming an “independent woman,” like the heroine of so many English novels of the period and earlier.
Claire Danes plays a lovely Eliza. I have to say that in the opening scenes, when she first appears as what Higgins refers to as a “guttersnipe,” I found her impossible to understand, almost unintelligible (and I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the front row). However, this may have been intentional, as part of her portrayal of Eliza. And as she begins, with some fits and starts, to learn the way of pronouncing words with polish, and the manners of polite, genteel society, she turns into a truly impressive woman.
After seeing Pygmalion, I suddenly became aware of the meaning of the butterfly that seems suspended in the air, right next to the image of Claire Danes on the Playbill cover and in the ads for the play. The butterfly has long been a symbol of transformation because it changes from being a caterpillar, a very earthbound, crawling creature, into a beautiful butterfly, which can soar and be on its own, very much akin to Eliza’s journey in Pygmalion.
The first act offers a hilarious scene, somewhat akin to Eliza’s inappropriate outburst at the Ascot opening day in My Fair Lady, which I will not reveal. There is also a wonderful and extremely humorous interchange between Higgins and Eliza’s father Alfred Doolittle, played by Jay O Saunders, who does complete justice to the role.
I found the second act to examine some particularly serious and meaningful themes that relate to Eliza’s exper |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
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Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
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Go See Pygmalion Review by: RALPHIE, Oct 31, 2007 |
PYGMALION is over 90 years old, but since My Fair Lady it has seldom been seen either on stage or in the strangely unavailable classic movie. This revival was a good idea, and the play exceeds many of the recent Roundabout offerings in quality and entertainment value. Clair Danes and the supporting cast are excellent.
I do, however, resent the AIDS fund drive that Broadway does in the Fall. AIDS isn't the only Sexually Transmitted Disease ... read more out there, but Broadway certainly focuses on it. Boo, hiss! |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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| 3 |
Fantastic Theater!!!! MUST SEE OF THE SEASON! Review by: NYer, Oct 26, 2007 |
| I saw the play last night & I must say I loved it. Perhaps the older reviews saw the show when it wasn't at its best...but last night all the actors including Clare Danes were AMAZING! You will certainly enjoy yourself - the experience was phenominal!!! This show or at least its leads will most certainly get awards for their performance! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Seniors, Tourists
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A Work in Progress Review by: zwooz, Sep 28, 2007 |
| I saw the show last night in previews. Claire Danes is somewhat overpowered by the professional stage actors; but does have her moments. She definately needs to be miked. The direction is spotty; needs work before opening. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Large Group
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| 5 |
Would recommend this - you will feel good when you leave. Review by: Libby, Sep 24, 2007 |
| Staging and acting is excellent in this production and on the whole the cast is very strong, especially male leads, but leading lady needs to project/raise voice enough to match the rest of the veteran company players who have move extensive stage experience. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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| Acting: |
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| Music: |
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| Production: |
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| Story: |
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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