Review: My Fair Lady - Portrush MS

Portrush Music Society

My Fair Lady

Saturday 31st May 2025

Based on George Bernard Shaw's play ‘Pygmalion’, written in the early 1900s, ‘My Fair Lady’ is a timeless musical theatre classic, full of comedy, drama and romance. It is as entertaining now as it was when it first hit the stage in the late 1950s. Portrush Music Society marked their return to AIMS with an energetic, thoughtful production which delighted their audience at the Coleraine Leisure Centre, getting my stint as Sullivan adjudicator for the 2025/2026 season off to a very positive start indeed.

I received a lovely, warm welcome from the director, Kerry Kane, and I was delighted to hear all about the society’s rich history. This was, in fact, their fourth time to stage ‘My Fair Lady’ since 1978! I was very impressed with the lovely displays of photographs in the foyer area. There was a fabulous flower cart with a book for the audience to write messages to the cast and crew, which was a lovely touch. The hall itself was transformed into an amazing performance space. The stage was purposely built for the production and the large audience space comprised of half tiered seating with the other half on floor level.

Ms. Kane directed with great flair and did an excellent job on this show, transporting us to Edwardian London and creating some wonderfully engaging characters. ‘My Fair Lady’ is such a dialogue-heavy show and the biggest challenge for a director is ensuring that pace is always maintained. Thankfully, there was exceptionally good pace throughout, particularly in the scenes set in Higgins' study which, in my experience, can often drag if not handled well. Great thought was put into background business for the ensemble and there was a real sense of meaningful involvement for everyone on stage. The set, which Ms. Kane helped to design, was utilised very well. There was great use of space throughout, particularly the upper level and steps. For such a long show, the best compliment I can pay Ms. Kane is that it zipped along and never felt like it dragged. An excellent job overall.

Choreographer Rosemary O’Connor did very well in pitching the routines perfectly to the abilities of her cast. ‘Wouldn't It Be Loverly?’ was very well rehearsed, with precise and appropriate movement from a very committed ensemble. There was great fun with Doolittle, Harry and Jamie in ‘With a Little Bit of Luck’ and fabulous energy and fun from the ensemble in the reprise of that number. ‘The Ascot Gavotte’ was a standout number, excellently performed. It was so controlled, restrained and disciplined in its minimalist movement, contrasting greatly with the more exuberant numbers. The ‘Embassy Waltz’ was a beautiful routine and it was such a joy to see so many couples waltzing properly. But the highlight for me was ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’ which was highly energetic, excellently rehearsed and full of life and joy. Excellent work from Ms. O’Connor.

Musical director Terry Cloughley did a fabulous job in bringing Frederick Lowe's timeless melodies to life with his wonderful orchestra which delivered a really full-bodied sound. The orchestra itself was tucked away on floor level to the audience's left, as was the visual monitor for the cast to follow Mr. Cloughley, who was also the conductor. It might have been better had this monitor been positioned more centrally, behind the audience, as it was difficult for cast to keep it in their periphery vision. There was excellent choral work throughout with great attention to vocal dynamics. The gentlemen at the top of ‘Wouldn't It Be Loverly?’ were superb and I loved the excellent a cappella choral sound at the start of ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’. The chorus did, unfortunately, run ahead in ‘The Ascot Gavotte’ number but Mr. Cloughley did manage to get things back on track. Principal singing was of a very high standard and Eliza's solos, in particular, were excellent.

Lindsay Johnson was a very likeable Eliza Doolittle, delivering a wonderfully impressive, powerhouse performance as the “squashed cabbage leaf” who transforms from cockney street vendor to well-spoken lady. Ms. Johnson skilfully balanced vulnerability, strength and comedy throughout. Eliza is a most emotionally complex role. Ms. Johnson recognised this, finding layers and nuance far beyond the comedy. She had the most gorgeous, crystalline soprano voice and a fabulous cockney accent. ‘Just You Wait’ was beautifully delivered and ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ was a truly exceptional vocal performance. Ms. Johnson had a wonderful emotional range, judging the more intense scenes perfectly and never overplaying.

Aidan Hughes played Professor Henry Higgins with a great air of haughtiness, superiority and arrogance. His interpretation was an interesting one, quite different to the myriad Henrys that I have seen before. It was more flamboyant and demonstrative than I have seen previously. However, it was a very memorable performance and a refreshingly different take, which is always a good thing if it can be justified in a performer’s choices. What a superb voice he had too. This was very evident in ‘I'm an Ordinary Man’, the best rendition I think I have heard. Mr. Hughes has exceptionally good diction. ‘A Hymn to Him’ was brilliantly performed as he questioned why a woman can't be more like a man. Mr. Hughes' comedic timing was exceptionally good.

Aaron Jamieson brought great comic relief as Eliza's scheming and opportunistic father, Alfred P. Doolittle. Mr. Jameson created a great character, with superb expression and comedic timing. He was hilarious as the rough-talking, larger-than-life dustman drawing the audience in with his irreverent swagger. His exuberant energy bounced off the stage and his two main numbers, Wouldn't It Be Loverly’ and ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’ were absolute showstoppers. A wonderful, all-round portrayal.

Equally strong was Tim Brown as Colonel Pickering. Mr. Brown was an excellent actor and a perfect foil to Higgins. His genuine warmth and compassion for Eliza, contrasted very nicely with Higgins’ more dismissive tone. Mr. Brown had a wonderful energy on stage. His performance in ‘You Did It’ was very strong. He was always thinking, always acting and reacting, immersing himself completely in the character, in what was a very intelligent and thoughtful performance overall.

Emma Thorpe was a very warm Mrs. Pearce. Ms. Thorpe was a clever actress and her subtle reactions were always in tune with the narrative. I loved her very consistent Scottish accent which was never overplayed. Another very strong performance.

Elaine Macauley, for me, delivered one of the standout performances of the show as Henry's mother, the elegant Mrs. Higgins. This was an extremely polished and professional portrayal from Ms. Macauley, with her deliciously clipped accent and razor-sharp comedic timing. I loved her heartfelt interactions with Eliza which were in lovely contrast to her son's less favourable approach.

David Mitchell was a very animated Freddy. His obsession with Eliza was very well played and he had a wonderful stage presence. What a fabulous voice he had too, showcased beautifully in ‘On the Street Where You Live’.

Darren McGuigan and Andy Shaw were both excellent as Alfred Doolittle's sidekicks, Harry and Jamie. They both had excellent expression and worked off each other very well, with great timing and wonderful interactions. Mr. McGuigan, in particular, was a superb mover.

Mr. Shaw did need to watch his diction a little bit when playing ‘inebriated’, but these two gave a fabulously energetic performance throughout. Mr. McGuigan also impressed when doubling up as Lord Boxington.

Colin Pascoe, as Zoltan Karpathy, was obviously a strong actor who had all the required skills. However, I did feel that his performance bordered on caricature. Lines were often played directly to the audience and delivery was quite over the top. Sometimes, less is more and had Mr. Pascoe toned things down a little bit, I felt that he could have given a much more believable and authentic performance.

Brenda Tosh as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill and Margaret Ferris-Curran as Lady Boxington both had strong stage presence, good diction and provided great support in their roles,

The ensemble was highly enthusiastic and committed, whether playing servants, tenement dwellers in the bustling streets of London or representing the grandeur of Edwardian society at Ascot or the Embassy. They brought great life and energy to the dance numbers. ‘Get Me To the Church On Time’ stood out in particular, with the ensemble’s cheering and shouting adding great realism and authenticity.

Stage manager William Thompson did an excellent job ensuring that the show zipped along.

‘My Fair Lady’ is so episodic and the transitions back and forth to Higgins' study are so frequent with lots of furniture to come on and off. However, Mr. Thompson had a very well-rehearsed stage crew who didn't put a foot wrong and they ensured that things were slickly choreographed and ran very smoothly. Furnishings on castors helped greatly to with these quick changes.

The set was simple but highly effective and visually pleasing. I loved how simple additions and suggestions transported us to new locations in the blink of an eye. There was a wonderful practical lamp post on stage right. The three upstage doorways offered lots of interesting staging opportunities. Stage left steps and raised area worked superbly well also, particularly in the study. The door on stage right became The Railway Arms with the addition of some signage. The printed library curtains upstage of the doors were a very clever way of transforming the look very quickly, ensuring that pace and flow was always maintained. I loved the very ornate candelabra pieces in the doorways which gave a great air of opulence to the embassy scene. The very simple addition of bunting for Ascot worked perfectly.

Lighting was generally very good, reflecting mood and highlighting key moments when required. I felt that more key light was needed in the opening scene as there were quite a few dark patches on stage. There were some great effects used in the dance break of ‘Wouldn't It Be Loverly’. There was lovely use of follow spot during ‘Just You Wait’, allowing for more dynamic staging and always highlighting Eliza's performance.

Sound was generally very good. There were no missed cues for dialogue and everything appeared to be EQd very well. As I was sitting on floor level, I felt that the PA speakers were set too high above our heads and that the sound was less direct and focused as a result.

It is unusual to see hanging mics for chorus these days. However, once I got used to them, I forgot that they were there and they certainly did their job very well, picking up the chorus brilliantly. I felt that Alfred needed more support in the lower register of ‘With a Little Bit of Luck’, to elevate his vocal over the level of the orchestra. There were well chosen sound effects which were very appropriate, such as birdsong and the horses galloping during Ascot.

Props were excellent, adding greatly to the visual splendour of this show. Baskets of flowers, the wonderful burn barrel and the flower cart were all excellent. Higgins' study was excellently dressed with very suitable furnishings, a very authentic looking phonograph and great attention to detail in the dressing overall. Parasols, canes and fans in Ascot added great detail. My only minor point was that Eliza's velcro necklace made a very loud sound over her microphone when she took it off. However, that is a very small point in what was an excellent job on props overall.

Not only did she direct, but Kerry Kane also created all of Eliza's stunning costumes for this show. These really were wonderful creations. Her stunning transformation for Ascot had a real wow factor, as did her wonderful white dress and accessories for the embassy scene and the beautiful coat which finished off her look perfectly. All costumes throughout looked wonderful. The elaborate gowns, top hats, tails and the black and white motif for Ascot were perfect, contrasting very well with the more worn costumes in Covent Garden and the tenements. The only small thing which jarred was that Alfred's boots looked too modern and clean, particularly considering his profession as a dustman.

Hair and makeup were generally very good and authentic to the era. Eliza's hair was beautifully up styled for the embassy and very regal looking. Alfred was aged particularly well. The dirt smudges in the tenement scenes looked rather contrived and unnatural, almost too uniform. It's good to consider how the characters faces got dirty in the first place and work from there for a more natural believable look.

This was a most worthy start to a new season. It is always great to see the old classics being performed and having new life breathed into them. Portrush Music Society did a wonderful job bringing ‘My Fair Lady’ to the stage for the fourth time in its history. It was a pleasure to attend, particularly as it marked the group’s return to AIMS after some years of a break. Well done to all and thank you for a most enjoyable performance.

Pat McElwain

Sullivan Adjudicator 2025/2026

Some photo kindly provided by the society