For anyone who knows me, the fact that My Fair Lady is my favorite musical is hardly new news. I have performed in the show multiple times, seen it in numerous venues (the best of which was at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket) and watched the movie ad infinitum. I would have been willing to bet that there was nothing new I could possibly find in it. While this is true in terms of lines and musical numbers, I have found it to be untrue in terms of theme and character...
I recently watched the movie with someone for the first time. (It wasn't the first time I watched it with another person, but rather the first time the other person in reference had seen it.) As the story progressed, we made occasional comments about the characters and situations. It is interesting to see it (in a way) through fresh eyes, unaffected by 20-plus years of exposure to the story. With this in mind, here are my new thoughts...
1. Higgins is basically an insensitive bastard who softens when he finds himself attracted (on some level) to Eliza. I had always sort of viewed him as a lovable curmudgeon, but when you really break down his lines, they're actually quite hateful. Rex Harrison's charm made Higgins likable in spite of himself, but at least for the first half of the story, he's pretty much a jerk. That said, I remain convinced that the actor playing the role HAS to make him endearing in some way...if you go strictly by the dialogue, the audience would want to kill him before intermission.
2. Eliza's treatment of Freddy seems less capricious when you consider the fact that the two primary men in her life are Higgins (see above) and her father, who is perfectly willing to sell her as a whore to Higgins and Pickering if it means he can get five pounds on which to get drunk. I always wondered WHY she spurned a nice-looking, well-mannered man who obviously adored her. (Okay, that whole hanging out for days on the street where she lives is a bit creepy, but still...) The main problem with Freddy is that he has been raised as a gentleman, and has no concept of anyone ever behaving otherwise. In modern parlance, Eliza has "baggage" and "issues" which Freddy could never begin to comprehend, much less address. When she goes back to Higgins, it's really a classic example of dysfunction meeting dysfunction. Yes, we are led to believe that they will get along and (perhaps) love each other, but it's highly unlikely that there will never be fireworks...conflict is a comfort zone for both.
There are some more "new" ideas rattling around in my brain. Maybe I'll get to them sometime after the long-promised "Harry Potter" discussion...
On other fronts, Comedy Of Errors had a successful opening weekend. I am happy to say that while my lines were certainly not letter-perfect, they were (for the most part) accurate and correctly placed. Last night's performance was our best yet, and I think the entire cast agreed that we have hit our stride. Next weekend should be solid.
Today from the motherland...an adorable baby animal:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6955014.stm
The heat continues to bake the brain and dry the throat. (People were actually excited last night when it was mentioned that today's high was only 97 degrees.) I have been guzzling water for the past couple of weeks, and despite the heat find myself with a sort of renewed vigour. I suppose there's something to be said for hydration...
Michael Vick has apparently reached a plea agreement on the dog-fighting charges that have been nipping at his heels (pun intended.) As an animal lover, I think he belongs UNDER the jail, but I suppose he will get off with just a couple of years in prison. Oh well, it's something...at least he isn't walking away with a slap on the wrist. How anyone could find the brutal slaughter of innocent animals "entertainment" is beyond me...we (as a society) pride ourselves on our civility, yet some among us seem scarcely removed from the savages.
On a more cheerful note, the various work projects are going well. I have finally finished a script I am writing for the VST gala, and I begin work at BCT next week. In the meantime, there's always subbing...
Not much about which to rant in the political realm. I suppose the departure of Beelzebub Rove has left those among the party faithful (on both sides of the aisle) sort of stunned. My thoughts are chronicled one or two entries below, so I won't bore the reader with repetition. Let's just hope he returns to whatever primordial ooze spawned him...
Signing off for now...
FLT3
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1 comment:
Did the person you watched it with mention how crazy it is to cast a man who can't sing as the lead in a musical? :)
you may know, that is my central problem with the show. Once Harrison's Higgins was the one everyone knew, that's the one everybody did. It became cannon. I prefer to hear people sing the songs, not rythmically speak the.
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