Review: With a little bit of luck, you'll love My Fair Lady

Cardiff

Until November 26

Where do you start when you are reviewing a show which is obviously much-loved, a story that has been told a thousand times - most famously in film with Audrey Hepburn taking the leading role - and which most everybody would surely know.

Well, I suppose you should just dive in.

This production of Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady, directed by Bartlett Sher, is probably best described as an energetic and incredibly stylish musical extravaganza.

It is packed with hit songs which enthralled the crowd - especially the woman next to me who sang along to most of them under her breath.

My favourite of the night (although I did love them all) was Alfred P Dolittle (Adam Woodyatt) and his exuberant I'm Getting Married in the Morning which left you breathless at the end as he was carried off the stage to get him to the church on time...

Michael D Xavier as Professor Henry Higgins was as uptight and correct as you would want him to be while Eliza Dolittle, played by Charlotte Kennedy, transformed beautifully from the coarse Cockney flower girl to the elegant and demure lady.

Mrs Pearce was understated and motherly but once she started to sing you knew instantly that the lilting Yorkshire accent had been coming from one of the nation's best loved opera singers, Lesley Garrett.

The costumes (Catherine Zuber) were breathtaking - favourites included the Ascot Opening Day scene and Eliza's outfit for the embassy ball.

The stage space was used expertly with the set for Prof Higgins' house spinning around to reveal different rooms best used during Poor Professor Higgins while the spartan Ascot Opening Day set was perfect for showing off those wonderful turn-of-the-century outfits worn by all the Toffs there to enjoy the racing.

If you don't leave after this epic performance beaming from ear to ear and threatening to dance all night, then there could be something quite wrong.

With a little bit of luck you'll enjoy it just as much as I did...