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REVIEW
Pygmalion
Southend Drama Society
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
18th - 21st April 2018

Pygmalion is probably Dublin born, George Bernard Shaw's most recognised play, written in 1912 and classed as 'a romance in five acts'.  It tells the story of cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, who is taken under the wing of the arrogant Professor Higgins who is so confident in his abilities as a professor of dialect that he makes a bet that he can pass off Eliza as a cultured member of high society.  Along with the more affable, Colonel Pickering, they take the working-class girl from her flower selling stall in Covent Garden and turn her into someone who can be passed off as a duchess, completely as ease in polite society.

Pygmalion caused quite a scandal with its first audiences in 1914.  A reworking of the classic tale of the sculptor who falls in love with his perfect female statue.  It  also highlights the state of the British class system of the time and reveals Shaw's feminist views.  Many, of course, will be familiar with the highly romanticised 1964 film based on the play, My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

Henry Higgins is so full of self importance, it is untrue and he is not meant to endear - William Peel, who plays him, brings this across very well.  Although his arrogance may make us laugh at times, the fact that he really doesn't care for Eliza but for his own achievements is really quite incredulous.  It is only down to the fact that the more understanding Colonel Pickering, played by Simon Lawler, is to hand that Eliza is encouraged to continue with her lessons.  Mrs Pearce, Higgins' loyal housekeeper, gives the girl pretty short shrift and is nicely played by Linda Finch.

Southend Drama have made good use of the Dixon Studio theatre and it was nice to see the blacks in use - it's not often we get to see a curtain in the Dixon.  This was used to good effect for scene changes and after the first act, supposedly outside St Paul's Church, the curtain was pulled to reveal where most of the play's budget had gone for Higgins' laboratory, complete with a stuffed fox and bird and various suitable furniture and knick-knacks of the era (I presume thanks to Les & Gary's Second Hand Dealers - the am dram society's go to supplier!) 

All costumes looked good for the period although I would question that Eliza could have looked far more scruffy and dirtier when she is first seen.  Sophie Docherty takes on this pivotal role and makes a good fist of it, in particular when she becomes a lady.  I would have liked to see her give her poor working class Eliza a bit more volume and gumption but overall, Sophie did a fine job of endearing Eliza to the audience. 

John Banks certainly looked the part of Eliza's father, Alfred and Juliet Banks as Henry's mother carried off her part well.  The two members of the supporting cast who stood out for me were Helen Mitchell as Mrs Eynsford Hill who completely nailed the upper class pronunciation of the period; and Michael Thompson as Nepommuck, making the most of a role that can sometimes be overlooked.

Peel and Docherty certainly display a good chemistry on stage and despite the fact that in reality - and if Shaw had his way - in these times Eliza would tell Higgins where to stick his slippers; director, Bill Peel has decided that this Eliza and Higgins go down the Hollywood happy ending route.

Southend Drama Society's version of this play has seemingly been swayed towards the romantic ending, with what would seem an appendage to the original play script.  To be honest, I don't think anyone would have really noticed; but would Shaw have approved? To quote Eliza. "Not bloody likely!"

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