The musical,  ‘My Fair Lady’ adapted from Irish Playwright, George Bernard Shaw’s ‘The Pygmalion’, has won 6 prestigious Tony Awards for Best Musicals since it was first staged in 1912. The musical follows the relationship between ‘Eliza Doolittle’, a Cockney flower girl, and the snobbish, misogynistic ‘Professor Henry Higgins’, a teacher of phonetics, who wagers with an old friend that he can turn Eliza into a “proper lady” within three months. The popularity of ‘My Fair Lady’ stems from two of its central themes which are universal lessons for humanity:

1. Respect – where treatment for a person should never be determined by the social standing or status of the individual (as exemplified through the way a person speaks, dresses, where she lives, how she carries herself and who her circle of friends are (sounds familiar)?

2. Acceptance – that regardless of our backgrounds, social standing and aspirations, every human being craves for friendship, companionship and acceptance.  As individuals, we are in the power of promoting social integration (and not segregate/ discriminate against those who are deemed ‘below’ us). It examines the subliminal question, “Can the most successful, educated and elite among us help the folks at the bottom of the ladder rise up and improve their lot in life? Or is this merely “snobbery masquerading as a philantropical bragging rights to assist those below our stature?”

The main cast at Press Call. Photo Credit: Base Entertainment

The timeless themes in ‘My Fair Lady’, set in Edwardian London, speak volumes even in modern 21st century Singapore, where signs of social gaps are widening and becoming more evident in every sphere – education, housing, occupation, transport and, unfortunately still, the language we speak and who we rub shoulders with.

The musical, known to be one of the greatest musicals of all time, is currently being staged at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands. It presents a stellar US National Tour cast led by theatre thespians – Chris Carten and Aurora Florence (as Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle respectively). They are accompanied by a most seasoned crew of actors and performers who belted well-loved tunes such as ‘Wouldn’t it be loverly‘, ‘The rain in Spain’, ‘I could have danced all night‘, ‘On the street where you lived‘ and the infectious ‘Bring me to the church on time‘ – all iconic musical songs in their own rights.

If these catchy tunes with clever wits and puns are not enough to entertain, the convincing acting is sure to wow the audience. There were many glimpses of the legendary Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn on stage when we watched the gala premier performance last night  – particularly of Aurora emerging in the resplendent French couture gown en-route to the Embassy Ball.

Another note-worthy point about this production is the live ensemble playing from the pit orchestra. It is an unforgettable experience with beautiful music and exquisite costumes that will remind theatre-goers as to why musical theatre was born. However, do come prepared for a 3-hour long show (with 15min intermission).  With such delightful acting and upbeat tunes, it’s simply ‘loverly’ to see so many audiences whistling the tunes on the way out. 

‘My Fair Lady’ is a classic musical no one should miss!

TICKETING AND SHOW INFORMATION

Run Dates: From 11 February to 02 March 2014
Show Times: Tuesday to Friday 8pm; Sat & Sun 2pm & 8pm
Ticket Pricing:  From $95* * excludes the booking fee of SGD$3 per ticket

FOR TICKET BOOKINGS:

THROUGH INTERNET:

Base Entertainment Website:  www.BASEentertainmentasia.comor www.MarinaBaySands.com/Ticketing

Sistic Website: https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/lady0314 

BY PHONE: +65 6688 8826

IN PERSON AT: Marina Bay Sands Box Offices (Museum, Theatres, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 and 3 Lobby).

For more information please log onto – www.MarinaBaySands.com