My Fair Lady
Synopsis
Henry Higgins, a Professor of Phonetics, encounters Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, one cold March night at Covent Garden market. He declares to his friend Colonel Pickering that in three months he could transform Eliza into a duchess.
Over the course of several months Eliza, who moves into the Higgins household, is put through a gruelling course of phonetics and elocution lessons by Higgins. Eliza's moment of triumph comes at the Embassy Ball. She is beautiful, elegant and well-spoken and proves to be an enormous success particularly with the young gentleman Freddy Eynsford-Hill who falls desperately in love with her.
After the ball Eliza falls into despondency as she sees Higgins celebrating his triumph in passing Eliza off as a duchess, showing little consideration for her feelings. Unnoticed, she slips out of Higgins' house and seeks consolation with Higgins' mother. Higgins comes in search of her but Eliza refuses to return with him.
Back at home, Higgins realises that he has become accustomed to Eliza. But suddenly Eliza reappears. She has forgiven Higgins and has decided to return.
Role
- Eliza Doolittle u/s
Year
- 2000-2002
Venue
- Royal National Theatre, London
- Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London
Thoughts from Kerry
I joined the original cast of My Fair Lady in late 2000 for rehearsals. We opened at the National Theatre on March 6 2001. I was employed as cover Eliza Doolittle and swing, and I was lucky enough to perform the role in the Lyttleton many times, as well as at Drury Lane, opposite Jonathan Pryce and Dennis Waterman, and directed by Trevor Nunn. I have particularly fond memories of this, my first West End show, and the experience I gained from the cast and creatives was fantastic.
Source: The official Kerry Ellis website
Musical numbers
Act 1
- Overture
- Why Can't the English?
- Wouldn't It Be Loverly?
- With a Little Bit of Luck
- I'm an Ordinary Man
- With a Little Bit of Luck (Reprise)
- Just You Wait
- The Servants Chorus (Poor Professor Higgins)
- The Rain in Spain
- I Could Have Danced All Night
- Ascot Gavotte
- On the Street Where You Live
- Embassy Waltz
Act 2
- You Did It
- Just You Wait (Reprise)
- On the Street Where You Live (Reprise)
- Show Me
- Wouldn't It Be Loverly? (Reprise)
- Get Me to the Church on Time
- A Hymn to Him
- Without You
- I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
Additional information
This was Kerry's first West End show. She understudied for Martine McCutcheon on numerous occassions.
Merchandise
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