Musical theatre / “My Fair Lady”, directed by Anne Somes. At The Q, Queanbeyan, until September 25. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

HAVING successfully presented a succession of contemporary musicals in recent years, Free-Rain Theatre Company has turned its attention to a musical that from the time it premiered on Broadway in 1956 has been hailed as a classic. 

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play “Pygmalion”, which Alan Jay Lerner cleverly mined to produce his inspired book and lyrics, teamed with a glorious score composed by Frederick Loewe, “My Fair Lady”, even in Anne Somes’ scaled-back production still has the capacity to enchant and surprise, especially with the relevance of what it has to say to a contemporary audience in an era focused on female empowerment.

Given limited resources, Somes has wisely dispensed with the lavish set pieces usually associated with this musical, in favour of simple impressionist settings designed by Cate Clelland; relying on some elegant furnishing and a single LED screen to indicate changes of locale. 

Fiona Leach’s attractive costumes signal period without aiming for historical accuracy and Michelle Heine’s ever-inventive choreography for the ensemble, together with Somes’ clever use of lighting to create attractive tableaus to introduce various scenes, provided sufficient spectacle to compensate for the lack of scenic elements. 

It’s an approach, of course, that leaves the cast very exposed. However Somes has assembled and showcased an outstanding cast capable of coping with such exposure.

Among them, DG Maloney, as the proudly misogynist Henry Higgins, is outstanding. Maloney offers a dazzling interpretation of the role. His perfect diction throughout whether speaking or singing, his cleverly phrased lyrics and command of the stage makes his a performance to behold. 

However, no less impressive is Stephanie Bailey as the Cockney flower-seller, Eliza Doolittle, with whom Higgins wins a wager with his friend Col. Pickering to pass off as a high-born “Lady”. Bailey matches Maloney every step of the way with a confident, beautifully sung and completely captivating interpretation that culminates towards the end of the show in a fiery argument between the two when Eliza refuses to bow to Higgins’ domination.

Completing this impressive trio, Pat Gallagher as Col. Pickering, in one of his best performances to date, contributes a warm and thoroughly delightful characterisation as the voice of reason who “treats a flower girl like a lady” in contrast to Higgins “who treats a lady like a flower girl”. 

Isaac Gordon, as a surprisingly scrubbed-up Alfred P Doolittle, comes into his own in the rollicking “Get Me to the Church on Time” and “I’m Getting Married in the Morning”. Pippin Carroll shines in a charmingly off-beat interpretation as the lovelorn, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, earning cheers for his lusty rendition of “On the Street Where You Live”.

Alice Ferguson goes a long way towards stealing the show as the elegant and wise Mrs Higgins and Jill Young charms as Higgins’ long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs Pearce.

The large ensemble fills the stage with a multitude of individual supporting characters, singing and dancing with engaging enthusiasm, no doubt inspired by Alexander Unikowski’s excellent orchestra that  succeeds in capturing the magnificence of Lowe’s superb score.