The Christmas main house production at Curve is becoming a bit of a highlight in the calendar of theatre fans, and the current production is certainly reinforcing that. It's an absolute classic - which most people will have seen, so skip the first bit if you know what it's about!

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My Fair Lady, a Lerner & Loewe musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, follows low-class cockney Eliza Doolittle as she’s taken in by aristocratic 'gentleman' Henry Higgins, following a bet from new friend Colonel Pickering. Eliza turns up at Henry's house, asking for elocution lessons. He reluctantly agrees to take her on, arrogantly confident that he will turn her into a lady of worth by teaching her to speak 'proper.' Packed with sing-a-long family favourites, including ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’, ‘On The Street Where You Live’, ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?’, and ‘Get Me To The Church On Time’, this show will always feel familiar.

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However, it's a fresh hot take from Director Nikolai Foster and team, which makes this old musical more relevant and engaging for modern audiences - and I'm relieved to say without putting in live on-stage camera work, which has grated on this author too many times now! A Made-At-Curve production to be proud of, with just a touch of 'panto light-heartedness' in places, making it feel festive when it isn't!

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Despite a rather long and largely superfluous staircase to the dead-end mezzanine in Higgins' house, and a few sightline issues due to cast laying on the floor downstage, it is well-staged. Perhaps there is symbolism behind the three leads walking off towards a large moon to attend the ball - symbolism which was lost on me. But I did overall enjoy how cinematic it felt despite that, like the ballet dream sequences in golden Hollywood movies, demonstrating how large that stage truly is.

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A strong ensemble fill every corner, particularly in 'Wouldn't It Be Loverly' - which gave me goosebumps, and 'I'm Getting Married In The Morning' - which left us all catching our breath along with the energetic company. Jonathan Dryden-Taylor as Harry is a bit of a hidden gem, I hope to hear more from him. The band slightly overwhelmed with volume at times, but it is a beautiful score and they haven't messed around with it. If you love the film, you won't feel cheated by this new version. Steve Furst creates a lovable rogue as Mr Doolittle, with his monologue about being "UN-deserving" being a true heartfelt gem amongst a very busy show. Cathy Tyson gives a very formidable performance as Mrs Higgins - which does make us question why she has allowed her son, Henry Higgins, to behave so poorly for so long. But the actress herself is magnificent! Sarah Moyle gives the impression of a long-suffering but fiercely loyal housekeeper is Mrs Pearce. However her costume did leave me scratching my head, especially when all the other servants appeared in a more traditional garb of formal black & white. Answers on a postcard, please!

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Leading Lady Molly Lynch delivers a very playful and energetic Doolittle, who doesn't seem to take life too seriously - until she is overlooked by Higgins claiming credit for her success. Again, another refreshing take on a character which most people associate with icon Audrey Hepburn. Lynch is very petite and rather lost at the very back of the stage at times, but she makes Eliza her own and the show is richer for it. 
However, Eliza is rather over-shadowed not by the colossal pillars of the flower market but by David Seadon-Young's Professor Higgins. Higgins is intense, contrary, self-centred, introverted, arrogant and infuriating. His chemistry with Pickering (the marvellous Minal Patel, who should return to Curve annually!) was sizzling - and so we are as confused as Eliza when he loses his mind at her wanting to marry Freddy. A particular highlight for this author was his visualisation in 'I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face' - resulting in him bending down and shouting at an imagined feline foe to "let the hell-cat freeze!" Seadon-Young is clearly a fine actor who has nuances for days to make Higgins a very relevant character for today's emotionally complex menfolk. And while there are many red flags about his behaviour, the audience is left wanting Eliza to save him - if only from himself.

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My Fair Lady plays at Curve Leicester until 4 January 2025.