BWW Reviews: PYGMALION is Perfect at the Everyman Theatre

Everyman Theatre Artistic Director Vince Lancisi could not have picked a better way to end the 2010-2011 season than with George Bernard Shaw's comedy Pygmalion.  Don't expect My Fair Lady without the music.  Shaw's biting comedy has much more of a social and philosophical message and a more realistic ending than the Lerner and Lowe musical.

Making her Everyman Theatre debut, Eleanor Holdridge, does a masterful job and has chosen an all-star cast.   Pygmalion cannot succeed without a terrific Eliza Doolittle and wait until you see Jenna Sokolowski's hysterical portrayal. I'll always remember her role of "Little Sally" in the Signature Theatre's production of Urinetown in which she received a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Resident Musical. One of her funniest scenes is when she is given a bath (her first time).  Her role requires a  wide range from a poor flower girl with an incomprehensible dialect to a Cinderella character with charm and courage. She nails it.

Then there is the character of Henry Higgins. In the 1964 film, Rex Harrison was so old it was hard to imagine any possible link he had with Eliza.  In the Everyman production, Kyle Prue  returns to the Everyman after a five year hiatus and is superb as Higgins. He's much younger than Harrison was in the film which makes it plausible for Eliza and Higgins to possibly make a believable couple.  It certainly adds to the sexual tension that was lacking in the film.

Higgins' mother, who tries to bring realism to her son, is played by the delightful Helen Hedman. It's always a pleasure to watch Hedman on a stage.

Everyman company members Stan Weiman and Wil Love perform their usual terrific work. Weiman plays Higgins' buddy Colonel Pickering with his usual class. Love never ceases to amaze me with his comedic ability as Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle.

Lynn Steinmetz plays Higgins' housekeeper with wonderful charm and comedic timing.

Completing the wonderful cast are Anne Grier, Drew Koopas, Barbara Pinolini.

Scenic Designer Daniel Ettinger deserves special mention for his wonderful sets. What he accomplishes in the theater's small space is amazing. Kathleen Geldard did the wonderful costumes, Matthew Miller and Ettinger are responsible for the affective lighting, Gary Logan helped get all the dialects right (and that is crucial to this play about accents) and Anne Nesmith did the great wigs.

Dramaturg Naomi Greenberg-Slovin adds a nice essay in the program about Shaw and Linguistics.

It is too bad this show must end June 19. Don't miss it.

On Thursday, June 16, there is a Post Show Talk-Back Discussion with the actors and the designers.

For tickets, call 410-752-2208 or visit www.everymantheatre.org.  $10 student tickets are available for the final performance, Sunday night, June 19.

                              EVERYMAN'S 2011-2012 SEASON ANNOUNCED

Everyman's final season on N. Charles Street has just been announced. The five-play season:

A Raisin in the Sun by Larraine Hansberry - Sept. 7 to Oct. 9.

Private Lives by Noel Coward - Nov. 2 to Dec. 4.

Fifty Words by Michael Weller Jan. 18 to Feb. 19.

The Brothers Size by Tarell McCraney March 14 to April 15.

You Can't Take it With You by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart - May 16-June 17

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For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

Photo by Stan Barouh