Pieter Toerien in association with Cape Town Opera presents Lerner & Loewe’s musical masterpiece, My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady, is enchanting Cape Town audiences once more with its latest staging, breathing new life into the timeless tale of transformation and self-discovery.
Henry Higgins, the charismatic and eccentric phonetics professor at the heart of My Fair Lady, is a man driven by his passion for language and his unwavering belief in its transformative power. With razor-sharp wit and a penchant for precision, Higgins embarks on an audacious experiment to refine the speech and manners of Eliza Doolittle, a spirited Cockney flower girl. Though brilliant and commanding, his rigid demeanor and often oblivious insensitivity set the stage for comedic clashes and poignant moments, making him one of musical theatre’s most compelling and complex characters.
Craig Urbani shares how he prepared to tackle the most challenging role of his career as he steps into the iconic character of Henry Higgins, bringing the beloved professor to life.
Having portrayed a variety of roles in your career, how does stepping into Higgins’ shoes compare to your past experiences, and what unique challenges does this character present?
Higgins is definitely one of the most challenging roles I’ve ever undertaken. He has a huge amount to do in the show and quite the journey to go on. The sheer volume is somewhat daunting and the pressure of doing justice to the beautifully written dialogue, a lot of which is taken directly from Bernard Shaws Pygmalion, is a big one!! One doesn’t often get dialogue as rich and textured as this in a musical. He’s a delightfully complex character to play and very unorthodox which adds to his colour and range. I am relishing him!! With the help of our director Steven Stead, we’re also finding the humour of the character, of which there is an abundance!
Henry Higgins is both a charming character and a rather stubborn one. How do you find the balance in portraying him as both lovable and flawed?
He is a challenging character to make likeable because he does come out with some pretty sexist, classist and rather demeaning statements. I believe his charm lies in his passion and love for the English language and its beauty and power! He believes it is the greatest gift we have and that it should cherished and respected. It’s also enjoyable from an audience perspective to see him slowly becoming enamoured with Eliza and more and more dependent on her as the story evolves. I think the way to make him as appealing and likeable as possible is to play him authentically and well defined. He is a cerebral character, ruled by the head and not the heart. There is much fun to be had in letting the audience see how he gets tripped up when emotions start coming into play!
Higgins has strong views on language and class. How do you approach the scenes where he expresses these opinions, especially given today’s perspectives on these issues?
Although Higgins is very aware of class he doesn’t necessarily enjoy the members of the high society. He finds them rather stuffy and superficial! What he does enjoy is the fact that they can all speak properly and don’t desecrate the ever sacred English language which he treasures and holds in very high regard! What starts out as a bet to change a young woman from a common flower seller into a lady suitable to go to high society balls, turns out to be his biggest lesson about class! He is taken completely by surprise when he falls for the essence and substance of Eliza’s soul. I believe this shows how a persons soul and authentic self transcends any class, race, culture or language barriers set by society! It’s who we are on the inside that really matters!
The relationship between Higgins and Eliza is complex. How do you and your co-star work together to develop the chemistry that makes this relationship feel real?
It’s all there in the text! All we have to do is learn the words, follow the direction of our director and play these beautifully written characters with authenticity and they will ring true to an audience. It’s such a well told story that although the writing is rich and very dense, we are assisted by how beautifully written these characters are. All we need to do is be true to the text! We have the honour of playing some of the best written characters in musical theatre history.
Higgins undergoes a subtle yet profound transformation during the story. How do you prepare to showcase this development while keeping him engaging for modern audiences?
It will be challenging to make Higgins likeable to a modern audience, especially in the initial part of the show when he is shouting condescending things to Eliza and treating her heavily and unfairly. But if audiences just go with the piece as it flows I think any dislike or alienation that they feel for him is quickly replaced by a wry smile nod a shake of the head, possibly from disbelief. The audience can see that the women in the piece hold the power. Higgins’ housemaid (Mrs Pearce), his mother and Eliza all handle him beautifully throughout the telling of the story. And as is so often the case in these classic musicals, the woman ends up with all the power as the man falls for her and is altered forever. In this case Higgins doesn’t even know it, but he may well have fallen in love with Eliza who has managed to creep into every fibre of his being. Audiences will end up laughing at this man and saying to themselves…..”just you wait Henry Higgins!” They know what’s coming! He doesn’t!
What’s the hardest part of singing and acting in a role that’s both intellectual and emotional? Do you find one aspect of Higgins easier to portray than the other?
The hardest part about this role is the sheer volume of work! It’s just a lot!! As I’ve mentioned there is a great deal of very well written dialogue that the actor has to get under his belt. Then there are the so he’s which are also chunky acting pieces with musical backing. Quite unorthodox in structure and style. The songs aren’t very melodic and tend to jump around rhymically and melodically. I believe that this is completely intentional on the part of the writer and composers to show his fleeting state of mind. He is all over the place! It’s almost as if his brain is working quicker than his mouth and we all know his mouth is working at a tremendous pace! A great deal of preparation and repetition is required in preparing to play Higgins. The actor must be alert, sharp and one step ahead of the game! I cannot drop the ball here!
The relationship between Higgins and Eliza is central to the story. How have you and your co-star developed the on-stage chemistry necessary to portray this dynamic?
I am very blessed to be working with two talented performers playing the role of Eliza. An added bonus is that we have worked together before and have a well oiled and effective working relationship and on sage chemistry. We all shared the stage in The Sound Of Music when I played Von Trapp and the ladies played Maria. We have an understanding of each other’s processes and ways of working and we have a compatibility. I have to adapt to the different approaches of each Eliza but in a way that just keeps me on my toes and alert and instinctive. All of this and the hard work that all of us put into our jobs will hopefully help in the telling of this complex and wonderful story. All we have to do is stay true to the cleverly and beautifully written text and play the characters with truth and authenticity.
With My Fair Lady being such an iconic musical, how do you ensure your portrayal of Henry Higgins remains faithful to the original while bringing something fresh to this new production?
I firmly believe in watching those who have done it before and stealing like an artist! I have played quite a few characters that have been immortalised by on screen actors. I think the trick is to take what they have done and then find places to bring some of your own interpretation to it. It’s inevitable that as a performer you will put your own stamp on it. I see only benefit in trying to capture some of the moments that the audiences have come to expect from the characters and the story, I the way they remember them! Steal from many and its research!! I don’t fight it and try to steer way from what actors have done before. I rather embrace it and try to make it benefit me and work for me. I am happy to use whatever benefits the character and ultimately the story. So I’ve watched the movie many times and the Broadway version of the show from 2018 as well as any footage I could get my hands on. Let’s see!!
The stellar cast includes: Brittany Smith and Leah Mari sharing the coveted role of Eliza Doolittle, Graham Hopkins as Colonel Pickering, Mark Richardson as Doolittle, Sandi Dlangalala as Freddy Eynsford-Hill, Adrienne Pearce as Mrs Higgins, Namhla Thuka as Mrs Eynsford-Hill, Megan Spencer as Mrs Pearce, Ryan Flynn as Harry, and Gareth Meijsen as Jamie.
My Fair Lady is directed by Steven Stead with musical direction by Kevin Kraak, choreographed by Duane Alexander, and scenic design by Greg King.
My Fair Lady remains a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences with its unforgettable characters, dazzling costumes, and iconic songs like “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “The Rain in Spain.” This new staging currently on at the Artscape until 12 January 2025 brings fresh energy and authenticity while staying true to the heart of the original production, and promises audiences an enchanting outing filled with laughter, heart, and the enduring magic of transformation that is a must see!
Show Information
Cape Town:
Artscape Theatre Centre
12 December 2024 to 12 January 2025
Times:
Tuesdays to Fridays at 19h30;
Saturday at 14h30 & 19h30;
Sunday, 15 December at 17h00; Sunday, 22 & 29 December at 14h00 & 18h00
Sunday, 5 & 12 January at 14h00 & 18h00
Ticket Prices:
From R140 – R580 (including VAT)
Bookings:
Webticket or Artscape Dial-a-seat on 021 421 7695
Johannesburg:
The Teatro, Montecasino
23 January – 23 February 2025
Times:
Tuesdays to Fridays at 19h30;
Saturday at 14h30 & 19h30;
Sunday 26 January at 17h00; Sunday 2, 9 & 23 February at 14h00 & 18h00
Ticket Prices:
From R240 – R580 (including VAT)
Bookings:
Webticket or the Theatre Box Office (011) 511 1988
Age Restriction:
No Children under 3
Duration:
Approx. 2.5 hours (with interval)
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