Review: You should get to see this lady on time

I was a "My Fair Lady" virgin before I went to Hale Centre Theatre's production, yet I recognized virtually every song (with that famous score by Frederick Loewe, matched by the lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner), including "On The Street Where You Live," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "With a Little Bit of Luck" and "Get Me To The Church on Time."

The familiar story, adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, follows Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so she may pass as a proper lady.

Not surprisingly, "My Fair Lady" tops the list of best-selling productions on the Hale Centre Theatre website. After all, the story of the 1956 Broadway musical, which won six Tony awards and was followed by the hit London production and the popular 1964 film, still resonates.

It may be set in 1912, but watching Eliza attempt to pass as a lady at the Embassy Ball suggested parallels with Kate Middleton's recent transformation into Her Royal Highness Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. According to Us Weekly, Middleton received rigorous training, such as the exact length of time she's expected to bob when she curtsies to the Queen and her stepmother-in-law, the Duchess of Cornwall. On stage, Eliza (Debra Weed) pulls off a perfect curtsy to the Queen of Transylvania at the formal ball.

Recent trips to London by Clark and set designer Kacey Udy inspired the set's atmosphere. The stage is fitted with aluminum to mimic weathered metal windows and building facades, and is elevated three feet above its usual level, while the pattern on the floor resembles the clock face of Big Ben. Udy also created a one-ton, flying set piece -- the largest HCT has ever used -- to add another element of complexity.

The costumes, by Suzanne Carling, are absolutely jaw-dropping, beautifully made and intricately embellished. Upper class characters are adorned in vivid colors, while the lower-class characters are dressed in muted hues. I was also impressed with the Monday, Wednesday and Friday cast, including ensemble members Dustin Bolt, Ali Bennett and Erin Fair.

Hale regular Debra Weed has the chops to play the role of Eliza, with a clear singing voice, a beautiful persona and acting talent. Across the board, the cast seemed more comfortable with the upper-class accents rather than the Cockney accents, where a few words were repeatedly a little off, such as "daughter."

Another standout was Mark Knowles as Henry Higgins. The character is an unexpected leading man; there was a little girl sitting behind me that gave a cute running commentary to the show including commenting on Adam Dietlein, playing Freddy Eynsford-Hill, Eliza's suitor: "He's the prince -- you can tell by his face."

But even though other characters have flashier roles, Knowles' performance is slow-burn solid. His character arc is crystal clear and well thought out, his singing voice is excellent, and his accent was perfectly executed.

I wholeheartedly recommend Hale's "My Fair Lady," which is so dense with technical expertise in costumes and set design that you might want to see it twice.

"Don't bother reading this review now," wrote a New York critic at the opening of the 1956 Broadway musical. "You'd better sit right down and send for those tickets."

Now you can acquire those tickets with the rather more rapid click of a mouse at www.halecentretheatre.org.

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