Pygmalion – Chichester Festival Theatre
Writer: George Bernard Shaw
Director: Phillip Prowse
Reviewer: David Griffiths
The Public Reviews Rating: 
The performance of Pygmalion was very well received by a full house.
Design Director, Phillip Prowse and Lighting Designer, Gerry Jenkinson should both be congratulated on their skilful design of the scenery, use of lighting, and stage management taking advantage of the theatre in the round.
Casting Director, Gabrielle Dawes has an exceptional cast. Rupert Everett, as Professor Higgins and Honeysuckle Weeks as Eliza Doolittle, gave outstanding performances, although on occasions Honeysuckle was a little difficult to understand and Rupert perhaps a little too chauvinistic and unfeeling. The humour was very effectively portrayed, and of course Stephanie Cole as Mrs Higgins with her facial expressions and delivery of her lines are well known to give the very best effect. She was ably supported by Phil Davies as Alfred Doolittle with a number of thought provoking, humorous phrases on his rags to riches situations during the course of the production.
Long suffering Mrs Pearce played by Susie Blake as Professor Higgins Housekeeper, tried extremely hard to make Professor Higgins & Colonel Pickering, played by Peter Eyre, understand what the consequences might be once Eliza had changed her way of speaking and her manners and had become a “laidy“, and would find it impossible to go back to her roots.
Those of us who can remember the musical “My Fair Lady” were not disappointed and found the dialogue and delivery sufficiently compelling not to require any music and singing.
In the last scene, Professor Higgins realization of his affection for Eliza was very cleverly created by leaving it to the audiences’ imagination when Eliza “marries” Freddy. One interpretation was that it was Professor Higgins’ own imagination that he may lose her – probably brought on by the fact that everyone was attending the wedding of Eliza’s father and his long term partner. Others may feel “it served him right!” It is very worthwhile judging this for yourself by going to see this production.
One wonders why there was a need for two 15 minute intervals as there did not appear to be any dramatic scene changes, or even time to get a drink, if this had not been ordered beforehand – maybe one longer interval would have been sufficient.
With an excellent cast, a great story line, clever theatrical design and lighting, what more do you need for a perfect evening of entertainment.
The Festival Theatre is in for an excellent couple of months with two such contrasting performances as Pygmalion and 42nd Street
Runs until the 27th August
Tags: Chichester Festival Theatre, George Bernard Shaw, Honeysuckle Weeks, Phillip Prowse, Pygmalion, Rupert Everett, Stephanie Cole
7:58 am on August 2nd, 2010
An opulent but basically thin production with an inexplicable big-top set (the ampitheatre wreathed in fairy lights) this production was let down by the two actors playing the leading parts. Rupert Everitt thrice to my ears stumbled on his words – always tense-making for me as an audience – and Honeysuckle Weeks appears to have been in television for so long she has forgotten how to project her voice.
Stephanie Cole was fine, though perhaps looking a bit too genuinely bemused by the whole thing, and the only actor who electrified and grabbed this member of the audience at Saturday’s matinee was Phil Davies whose presence lit up the stage.
Typical Chichester – big stars and a lavish production but not enough concentration on the basics.