23 June 2008

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Taximan/Bystander - Steven Alexander
Bystander - Mia Austen
Freddy Eynsford Hill - Matt Barber
Sarcastic Bystander - Peter Cadden
Eliza Doolittle - Michelle Dockery
Bystander - Mark Extance
Alfred Doolittle - Tony Haygarth
Mrs Higgins - Barbara Jefford
Colonel Pickering - James Laurenson
Parlourmaid - Corinna Marlowe
Mrs Eynsford Hill - Pamela Miles
Clara Eynsford Hill - Emma Noakes
Henry Higgins - Tim Pigott-Smith
Mrs Pearce - Una Stubbs

Directed by Sir Peter Hall
Designed by Simon Higlett

Celeb in the audience: Diana Rigg and that lovely young actor I often see...Tom Brooke.......both in my row - L7

I cannot find a photo that does justice to the unique quality that Michelle Dockery (whom I have dubbed 'Dockers' for sometime) brings to this performance. She made the character's journey with measured ease and glided around like something from planet gorgeous.
The Old Vic is a venue that eats up a production like this. The horseshoe of the circle gives the stalls room to breathe whilst drawing in the audience from all directions.

I did love Major Barbara but this really was the meatier, more wholly satisfying production. All the cast were perfectly balanced and the audience were so alert and responsive. After receiving uncontrollable laughter from Tony Haygarth's first scene, he got spontaneous applause every time he left the stage from subsequant scenes. Colonel Pickering was pitched and just the right level and I have no good reason to single him out because they were all fabulous.