‘Pygmalion’ review
‘superbly witty and a remarkably humorous play: a must-see’
Bailey Theatre Company’s Pygmalion is an incredibly funny and highly engaging production of George Benard Shaw’s 1912 play. Directed by Jessica O’Toole, produced by Amelia Habershon and co-musical directed by Jed Godfrey and Jackie Guy, Pygmalion is a truly spellbinding piece of drama.
Boo Mingay marvellously depicts Eliza Doolittle. Mingay masters Eliza’s quick-witted nature demonstrating great emotional depth and skilfully showcasing Eliza’s transformation over the course of the play. Ollie Painter as Henry Higgins has an outstanding ability to command the audience with his precise comedic timing. Painter has a remarkable energy and presence on stage that makes his character deeply entertaining. Together, Mingay and Painter are a dynamic duo that effortlessly portray the binary opposition of their respective characters. Colonel Pickering, played by George Smith, has a ruminative quality, a stark contrast to that of Painter’s Higgins. Smith’s presence on stage brings a sense of realism to the play; the chemistry between Painter and Smith was enormously humorous.
Mrs Higgins, played by Jessica Cloake, has an unmistakeable aura as she contrasts Painter’s frantic Mr Higgins with grace and splendour. Cloake puts on a noteworthy and powerful performance. Furthermore, Sophie Browning is mesmerising as Mrs Pearce and Clara Eynsford-Hill. I found her facial expressions as Clara particularly amusing, as was the ability to craft two distinct characters through her body language. Henry Smith brings an intense comic energy to Pygmalion as Alfred Doolittle - his humorous ramblings are a highlight. Seren Fox Basset as Mrs Eynsford-Hill emulates the aristocratic nature of her character flawlessly, especially in the opening scene, to perfectly establish the tone of the play.
The versatility of the cast is highly impressive. Albert Malone is constantly engaging as both Freddy Eynsford-Hill and the Embassy Host, demonstrating respectable range as an actor, and Tom Castle’s comedic timing as Nepommuck and Sarcastic Bystander is immaculate. In addition, Somer Potter as the Embassy Hostess, Parlour Maid, and Bystander and Nefertari Williams as Bystander and The Footman both have a notable impact on showcasing the dichotomy between wealth and poverty, highlighting the complex class structure that permeates the play.
The cast work flawlessly together, the chemistry between each member is evident. Each character is authentically portrayed, and the blend between humour and drama is exquisite. Each person on stage, particularly during the opening and embassy ball scenes, work in unison to brilliantly demonstrate the central themes of social class and appearance versus reality.
The production team, spearheaded by Production Manager Zac Jackson, with Stage Manager Lenna Lyons, must be praised for their work in transforming Leech Hall into an intimate venue. The use of both the stage and the floor leads to an immersive audience experience, as the actors seamlessly transition across both levels. The sofas on stage allow for the dichotomy between the actors to be shown with Painter’s informal slouch as Higgins, compared to Cloake’s straight back posture as Mrs Higgins.
In having the actors sit in close proximity, the tension is palpable during more intense scenes. Each aspect of the set has been carefully decided with a great level of detail given to the signage. What more, Jed Godfrey’ s musical composition was enchanting. The musicians, consisting of pianist Jackie Gui and violinists Hazel Irving and Daisy Yuyao, add to the ambience of the show. A highlight of the music comes after Scene Two; the alphabetic music charting Eliza’s improvement in pronunciation is especially joyous.
While I found the interpretation of the ending to be minorly lacking in clarity through the use of the newspaper, all in all, this play is a resounding success. O’Toole’s production of Pygmalion is superbly witty and a remarkably humorous play: a must-see. It is evident that the new talent within the cast and crew will have a tremendous impact in Durham Student Theatre over the years to come!
By Amber Montgomery.