Pieter Toerien in association with Cape Town Opera presents Lerner & Loewe’s musical masterpiece, My Fair Lady

Having enchanted Cape Town audiences Joburg audiences are about to be captivated by My Fair Lady, which brings to life the unforgettable journey of Eliza Doolittle, opening at the Teatro at Montecasino on 23 January 2025.

Colonel Pickering, the courteous and scholarly linguist, serves as a gracious counterbalance to Professor Higgins’ (Craig Urbani) brash demeanor. A retired officer with a passion for phonetics, Pickering is not only Higgins’ colleague but also his moral compass, often acting as a voice of reason and kindness. His respectful and gentlemanly approach to Eliza Doolittle (Brittany Smith & Leah Mari) distinguishes him as a pivotal figure in her transformation, offering her the encouragement and dignity she needs to thrive. With his refined charm and warm demeanor, Colonel Pickering is an integral part of the trio at the heart of this beloved musical.

We caught up with Graham Hopkins in his role as the charming Colonel Pickering.

What drew you to role of Colonel Pickering, and how are you making it your own in this production?

Pieter Toerien and Steven Stead offered me the role. I was free over the period and so I was delighted to accept the role of this charmingly old-fashioned character whom everybody loves. Actors as illustrious as Sir John Gielgud have played him so I have big shoes to fill.

Colonel Pickering is a character known for his kindness and charm. How do you approach bringing these qualities to life while ensuring he feels fresh and relevant for today’s audiences?

He is, in a sense, an archetype of the officer and gentlemen class of his era: Anglo-Indian, schooled in the best English public school and university traditions and serving in the British Raj. Gentlemanly good manners would have been second nature to him – something that is less known in today’s world. Nevertheless, old-fashioned good manners aside, his qualities of kindness and charm are, thankfully, still immediately recognisable to today’s audiences. They might display differently, but these qualities have not been entirely abandoned by men today.

Looking back on your past roles, how have they prepared you to step into the shoes of this classic and somewhat understated character?

It would be a mistake to view Pickering merely as a character who plays second fiddle to professor Henry Higgins. Rather, he is a gentle foil to Higgins’s careless rudeness and irascibility – a necessary counterpoint – and much of Shaw’s comedy arises out of this contrast between the two men, just as a comic is not funny without his straight man. Of course Higgins is the dominant voice, the captain of the ship as it were, but theatre is like a team sport. Every role adds vital colour. I was recently in a production of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution, playing the leading character of Sir Wilfred Robarts. In every scene, Robarts is with the attorney, Mayhew, superbly played in our production by Craig Jackson – a Pickering to Robarts’s Higgins.

Colonel Pickering often acts as a mediator and friend to both Higgins and Eliza. How do you see his role in shaping Eliza’s experience and supporting her growth?

He is a necessary role model, as Eliza herself says. But he is also quirky and funny in his own gentle way. In a State Theatre production many years ago, Pickering was played by the late, inimitable, Graham Armitage. I am trying to channel some of Graham’s quirky nervous energy.

How do you bring depth to a character like Pickering, who is supportive but not necessarily the focal point of the story?

As I’ve said, a supporting role is not there merely to support. It must be fully rounded and characterised in its own way. You have less dialogue to work with, so you have to make every moment count.

Pickering often serves as a voice of reason and balance. How do you see his character fitting into the larger themes of identity and class in My Fair Lady?

If we really need contemporary “relevance” in even the lightest of our entertainments (and I’m not sure that we do) then it is hard not to recognises the resonances of intergenerational privilege and education; class distinction and prejudice; gender discrimination and the advantages or disadvantages bestowed on people in relation to both their relative access to money and the way that they speak. Higgins says to Pickering “If you spoke as she does sir, instead of the way you do, why you might be selling flowers too.” Pickering replies with an outraged “I beg your pardon!” His class and station in life are taken for granted and the way that he speaks might not occur to him as a significant differentiator. Is that true in South Africa today? Take a walk along the Sea Point Promenade and listen to the snatches of passing conversation. Then tell me you can avoid classifying people (wrongly perhaps) by the sounds of their speech. If you concentrate, you will be amazed at how infinitely variable the accents and speech patterns are and how clearly they delineate background, education and identity.

From your perspective, what does Colonel Pickering contribute to the story as a whole, and why do you think his role remains significant in modern interpretations of My Fair Lady?

Like all classics of all artistic disciplines, the piece transcends both period and context. The superb set design for this production, by Greg King, is a faithful homage to the Art Nouveau movement of the Belle Epoque period, around the turn of the 19th and early 20th centuries, in which the story takes place. It is rooted in its period and every one of Shaw’s characters, Pickering included, are recognisable archetypes of their time. Far from making them “irrelevant” of “insignificant”, their common humanity allows us to imagine our modern selves into such a context. But, all of this aside, My Fair Lady is a wonderful, entertaining, funny and moving story. And we all love a good story.

The stellar cast includes: Craig Urbani as Henry Higgins, Brittany Smith and Leah Mari sharing the coveted role of Eliza Doolittle, 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.

Experience the enchanting timeless classic with its unforgettable songs, dazzling costumes and sets. This breathtaking production of My Fair Lady will leave you humming its iconic tunes and inspired by its compelling story.

Show Information

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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