My Fair Lady at Chichester Festival Theatre

George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion gets the musical-theatre treatment in one of my favourite musicals of all time, My Fair Lady. The story of a flower girl who wants to better herself and someday own a flower shop on the corner of Tottenham Court Road. After being taken under the begrudging wing of vocal expert Professor Higgins as part of a bet to turn a common flower girl into a lady, who will go on the most transformative journey? And will Eliza get what she desires most?

 

Having seen many versions of this musical over the years, I was curious to see how it would be portrayed, especially since the ending has always been extremely problematic because of the characters’ choices. What we saw was a spectacular, luscious extravaganza of class differences, fun songs, and an authentic representation of the era and its characters, which somehow, in this version, became more well-developed and believable. The staging had an extremely minimalist feel initially, before then gradually revealing well-designed sets to fit the rotating stage and creatively use the space in such a way that it almost became an immersive experience in the sense of us feeling like we were welcomed into the world unfolding before our very eyes.

Musically, comedically and dramatically, My Fair Lady was full of perfection all the way throughout. Each sharp, observed pun was extremely well timed with the dances and music, plus, unlike any other version seen till now, more deliciously unexpected comedy moments were discovered. Such as the character of Professor Higgins, played by Hadley Fraser, who not only paid homage to Rex Harrison in terms of looks but also elevated the character to new heights of manic explosions of childish frustration, which were extremely reminiscent of the late Rik Mayall. Higgins tends to be played a lot of the time as a very straightforward, monotonous character, but Fraser fleshed him out not just in those frustrated tantrums but also by allowing a certain emotional vulnerability to him that hasn’t been properly explored before. This extremely strong choice made Higgins more engaging and, in many respects, more human than previous versions.

He was complimented extremely well by not only one of the strongest casts seen in a very long time, but also the two main interactions Higgins had with both Eliza and Colonel Pickering. This interesting triangle became a glorious psychological insight into how these extreme opposite personalities somehow balance each other out.

Keziah Ibe made her professional debut as Eliza herself and left us feeling ‘Luverly’ after one of the strongest and most insightful portrayals of the lovable flower girl. Ibe fully immersed herself in the role and showcased a talent that, if we hadn’t known this was her debut, we would have assumed she had been performing this role for a long time. Each vocal transition was well controlled and her emotional journey was heartfelt and engaging.

Tony Jayawardena’s Colonel Pickering was one who gave this role the perfect balance of gravitas and joyful moments that neutralised the intense energy Higgins threw at him. Having reviewed him before in Nye at the National Theatre last year as Churchill, it was lovely to see Jayawardena take on Pickering, as it brought out a well-developed character who heightened his natural subtle comedy skills and showcased an extremely strong singing voice.

Special mentions also have to go to Gary Milner’s Alfred Doolittle, Ben Culleton’s Freddie Einsford Hill and Belinda Lancashire’s Mrs Higgins, who respectively became unexpected star turns in the show. Milner gave us more than just the happy-go-lucky character who luckily gets by with very minimal effort. He gave us someone who was not to be messed with when angry, a con artist and a lot of charm that, ‘With a Little Bit of Luck’, kept us on our toes with each decision made. Culleton likewise made a character who seemed to be always overlooked into a lovable character who deserved happiness and had a voice full of emotion and loads of positivity. As for Lang herself, she created a Mrs Higgins that, unlike her son, kept extremely calm and made her a force to be reckoned with, with every deliberately chosen emphasis on each word that commanded respect, as well as some of the most well-timed comedic moments that reminded us why Lang is still one of the strongest performers today.

My Fair Lady is not only full of ascerbic wit, but also moments that have a fresh new take on this beautiful musical. The highlight of Summer 2026.

Sascha Cooper

Cockney Eliza Doolittle scrapes a living selling flowers on the streets of London. Her dream of being a lady in a florist’s shop is out of reach unless she can speak ‘proper English’. So when she encounters Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, she seizes the chance to transform her life.

Higgins blithely takes on a bet to turn the woman he dismisses as a “squashed cabbage leaf” into a high society paragon. But his impulsive wager becomes a journey of discovery for both him and Eliza.

CAST (in order of appearance)
Eliza Doolittle – Keziah Ibe
Freddy Eynsford-Hill – Ben Culleton
Mrs Eynsford-Hill – Rachel Stanley
Colonel Pickering – Tony Jayawardena
Henry Higgins – Hadley Fraser
Cockney Quartet – Jonathan Bourne, Nic Cain, Joe Henry, Kody Mortimer
Alfred P. Doolittle – Gary Milner
Georgie the Bartender – Jennifer Louise Jones
Jamie – TJ Lloyd
Harry – Nicholas Duncan
Mrs Pearce – Finty Williams
Servant Chorus – Jonathan Bourne, Shani Cantor, Maggie Lynne, Anna McGarahan, Kody Mortimer
Mrs Hopkins – Rachel Stanley
Mrs Higgins – Belinda Lang
Policeman – Nic Cain
Flower Girl – Ella Kora
Zoltan Karpathy – Joe Henry
Mrs Higgins’s maid – Jessica Vaux
Ensemble – Jonathan Bourne, Nic Cain, Marc D’Arcy, Jennifer Louise Jones, Ella Kora, Reuben Lally, Maggie Lynne, Anna McGarahan, Kody Mortimer, Jessica Vaux
On-Stage Swings – Talia Duff (Dance Captain), Zack Guest

CREATIVES
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion
Original production directed and staged by Moss Hart
Director – Rachel Kavanaugh
Set and Costume Designer – Peter McKintosh
Choreographer – Stephen Mear
Musical Supervisor – Stephen Ridley
Musical Director – Cat Beveridge
Orchestrator – Tom Kelly
Lighting Designer – Howard Harrison
Sound Designer – Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound
Casting Director – Stuart Burt CDG CSA

MY FAIR LADY
Chichester Festival Theatre
6 July to 5 September 2026