| Cumbernauld Youth Theatre | home |
 |
| Archive
|
||
|
||
PYGMALION
June 1997
Cumbernauld News –
"Shaw Thing" 1 | 2 | Pics | Top
Professor Henry Higgins transforms
flower girl Eliza Doolittle into a society lady in “Pygmalion”, the latest show
from Cumbernauld Youth Theatre.
George Bernard Shaw’s play, which inspired the classic musical “My Fair
Lady”, can be seen at Cumbernauld Theatre from tomorrow (Thursday) to Saturday, June
22.
Performances begin at 7.45 p.m. each night. Tickets cost £4 or £2 for concession on Thursday and £4.50 or £3 for concessions on Friday and Saturday.
1 | 2 | Pics | Top
One of the English-speaking
world’s greatest classics came to Cumbernauld Theatre when Cumbernauld Youth Theatre
presented George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’.
It was a pity the audience on Thursday was so sparse, for they missed an excellent
night. Attendance's were much better for the rest of the week.
The talented young people presented a much shortened version of the play, while
retaining the essentials. They were truly excellent though occasionally the accents,
Cockney or ‘pan loaf’, slipped back into those dulcet Cumbernauld tones.
Scott Wylie shone as the opinionated linguistics expert, Henry Higgins, in turn
bullying, frightening and enticing poor flower girl, Eliza Doolittle (Karen Gunn) into
becoming his pupil and learning to speak ‘proper’.
Karen was in top form, both in Cockney and in Oxford English, and the scene where
she stood up to the ungrateful Higgins after he won his bet to pass her off as a duchess
was classic Shaw.
Ross Gunn was competent, as Higgins’ colleague, Colonel Pickering, but acting
honours must of to Ian Peebles as Eliza’s rascally father Alfred, whose homespun
philosophy so appealed to Higgins. Ian’s accent and mannerisms were perfect,
and his line had the lion’s share of the laughs.
Shaw poked fun at Edwardian society, where well-bred ladies often led empty lives,
not permitted to earn a living, and this is best illustrated in the small-talk scene with
Henry’s mother (Sharon McMahon), Mrs Eynsford-Hill (Stella Ferguson), daughter Clara
Enysford-Hill (Laura Mac Farlane), and foppish son Freddy, where Eliza first utters the
famous b-word. This is one of the most comical episodes in the play.
Other roles were taken by Dawn Roper (Mrs Pearce and bystander); Corin Mackenzie
(Parlour maid and (bystander), and Charles Scullion (bystander and policeman).
Director was Evelyn Wallace and Emma Dalziel was stage manager.
