PYGMALION REVIEW, OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

Pygmalion, the play that inspired the musical My Fair Lady, offers a delightful evening of entertainment that is both laugh-out-loud funny and poignant.

Seventy years after its formation, The OTG (Oxford Theatre Guild) is back treading the boards of The Oxford Playhouse’s main stage with George Bernard Shaw’s masterpiece.

We follow Eliza Doolittle (expertly played by Elenor Schofield), a boisterous flower girl who seeks elocution lessons from Professor Henry Higgins (Vaughan Pierce) in the hopes of bettering herself, whilst Higgins sees it as a way to show off his skills in transforming people through the art of phonetics, or speaking ‘propah’.

Director Dan Whitley’s decision to avoid portraying Higgins as a simple villain, instead showing him as a man so entrenched in privilege that he cannot fathom the consequences his actions will have on those around him (Eliza in particular), is both refreshing and brilliant. The decision to eliminate any romantic implication between Higgins and Eliza is equally astute and allows the pair to deal with the subjects of the play at hand.

Pierce’s performance is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the production. His portrayal of Higgins is spot-on - oblivious to his faults, even when they’re pointed out to him (repeatedly).

But another delight on stage is of course, Eleanor Schofield, who utterly shines as Eliza. Her impressive performative range allows her to portray a defiant, bold individual trapped by both her beginnings and the limitations of her circumstances.

While leads Schofield and Pierce stand out, it would be remiss not to mention the excellent performances of cast members, Amanda Holland as Mrs Higgins, the voice of reason and a hilarious counterpart to her negligent son; Triona Adams as the formidable Mrs Pearce, who can make a room erupt into laughter with just a raise of a well-kept eyebrow; and Jo Green as the eccentric Alfred Doolittle, who delivers an excellent and memorable performance as Eliza’s somehow lovable father.

What truly makes any show remarkable, however, is the camaraderie and ensemble effort, in which The Guild excels at. The commitment from the entire ensemble and production team is evident, with a vibrant set and period costumes expertly bringing the streets of London and lush parlours to life. This attention to detail makes for a truly memorable evening at the theatre.

In Oxford Theatre Guild’s faithful interpretation of the play, it becomes clear that Shaw isn’t siding with or attacking any specific side of the debate, but instead advocating for respect and kindness above all else.

This is no small feat, and the production executes it brilliantly and remains acutely aware that the interactions between characters from different social backgrounds, along with the play’s critique of the class system, are what make Pygmalion so remarkable.

Judging by the near-constant laughter and chuckling from the audience, I wasn’t the only one captivated by this take on Shaw’s play.

I would highly recommend this production, and with only three performances left, do you really want to miss this?

Not bloody likely!

Tickets can be found here.