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My Fair Lady -- Aotea Arts Centre --
Auckland -- New Zealand 1992 |
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All of a sudden, I scored the lead role of
Professor Henry Higgins in the New Zealand revival of My Fair Lady. (NZ had not had a
professional production of this musical since the original Australian cast toured there in
the sixties) The 'biggest' show in New Zealand that year, it was quite a coup for
me. Big budget, top quality cast and orchestra etc. This still was taken from a series
taken during the publicity tour that the management flew us over for. Appearing with
me here is the lovely and fabulous Janet Booth (also from Melbourne) who played Eliza to
my Henry. A delightful woman to work with -- a clear true soprano who could portray the
'down and dirty' Eliza of the gutters with great gusto,, and also transform herself to the
'queen' of the ball -- a feat few sopranos are able to carry off. |
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Another shot from the
publicity tour. The costume was a hastily constructed simulation of what Henry would
probably be wearing for the opening Covent Garden Scene. The actual costumes
had not been made yet. We did lots of interviews for local and NZ press generally and
did fittings etc. -- A very enjoyable 2-3 days or so of being treated like stage
'royalty'!!!!! |
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A production still. Last
scene. Henry has just collapsed into despair at the end of 'I've grown accustomed to
her face' where he finally admits to himself the depth of his feelings for Eliza and his
despair at losing her. Alone in the house, he plays a recording of her first meeting with
him. Eliza appears and stands silently behind him. This pic is the exact moment he
sudden realizes she is there as she says, 'I washed my face and 'ands afore I come, I
did' Henry walks hesitantly towards her, the hardest few yards of his life, as the
curtain falls. Did Henry and Eliza kiss after curtain-fall? You'll never
know!!!!!! |
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