MY FAIR LADY (2018) Reviews

[Miles2Go2]

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "I can't really help you there because I lucked out and bought it during a blizzard where it seemed people exchanged their tickets because there were a lot of unusually available seats for that night. As someone a row in front of me said, "the only way for New Yorkers to see theatre is during a blizzard.""

Thanks. I now plan on buying my MFL ticket before the Tony Awards likely make tickets even more impossible to find. 

[Miles2Go2]

Is Orchestra H512 a bad seat?

[east side story]

Go for it!

[Miles2Go2]

east side story said: "Go for it! "

I can’t book it quite yet. But I’ll keep my eye on it and snatch it up when I’m able (if still available) if the consensus is that it is not apartial view seat. 

[Musical Master]

Charles Isherwood brings his quite positive review.

https://broadway.news/2018/04/19/review-fair-lady-beautifully-polished-antique/

 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

I do wonder what Ben Brantley thinks of this production. I also think Isherwood sort of missed the point with the way "I Could Have Danced All Night" was staged in this production. I saw it less of a exuberant expression of romantic feeling towards Higgins here and more of a self-realization moment that she made a breakthrough and an excitement to keep going and see how much she can learn and do. If she was in love with anything during this staging, it was the phonetics book.

[henrikegerman]

I'm glad Isherwood liked the show very much.  But, I agree with Scotty that his take on Sher's vision for the show completely misses the point.  And on a great many fronts, not just the one Scotty correctly points out:  that Lauren's rapturous I Could Have Danced All Night is only incidentally about a refreshing feeling of good will from and toward Higgins, and all about Eliza's reveling in her own success - a kind of anti-"You Did It."

[OlBlueEyes]

Isherwood thinks that 21st century ears may be offended by "A Hymn to Him?"

This is a musical comedy, the song is comic, and it is not women being lampooned, but Higgins himself.

I think that even the Neanderthals of the mid-20th century did not take the song as being full of sound arguments in favor of the superiority of the male sex.

[henrikegerman]

*indeed!  I haven't read his reviews in some time, but I'm surprised very much by this one - not because it's favorable (I loved the show more than he did), but because it's so utterly wrong-headed.  Is this a "dumbed down" version of Charles?

[Miles2Go2]

No one on the MFL thread was able to assist so I’m hoping someone here will be able to.

I would love your assistance. I’m finally in the position to buy my ticket for MFL in June. Which of these seats would you recommend?

I believe I sat in a similar TKTS seat to H512 for The King and I, but we were able to move to empty Center Orchestra seats at intermission. I prefer aisle seats due to my long legs and bad knees. I had an aisle seat for TK&I and was lucky to get also an aisle seat at intermission. So I don’t recall too much what the seat legroom was like. I’ve heard that legroom at this theater is bad for tall folks even in Orchestra. That is not usually the case for me in Orchestra seats (I had plenty of legroom in my mid-row Center Orchestra Seat at the Schubert). As I recall, the far right Orchestra Seat at TK&I was partial view, but wasn’t too bad. We saw TK&I in November 2015 after the Tony wins so demand had died down a bit. I’m aware that won’t be the case in June even if MFL doesn’t win any Tony awards. So whatever seat I buy will be it. I won’t be moving to a better empty seat at intermission.

So my considerations are view and legroom. I’d hate to spend over an extra $100 for a non-aisle seat if it gives me a better view but my knees are in pain the whole time. Similarly, I’d hate to save the money and have plenty of legroom only to miss crucial elements on stage. Any advice is appreciated.


Est. Total $339.00 1 Ticket, CTR/RT ORCHESTRA Row G, Seat 405

Choice 1
Est. Total $201.00 1 Ticket, RIGHT SIDE ORCH Row H, Seat 512

[Dancingthrulife2]

The orchestra seats have ATROCIOUS legroom. Haven’t sat in the mess yet. NYT calls it “yogaic,” and it’s much worse any any other Broadway house. Aisle seats are the only option for big/tall people to enjoy a show in Vivian Beaumont.

[Miles2Go2]

Dancingthrulife2 said: "The orchestra seats have ATROCIOUS legroom. Haven’t sat in the mess yet. NYT calls it “yogaic,” and it’s much worse any any other Broadway house. Aisle seats are the only option for big/tall people to enjoy a show in Vivian Beaumont."

Thanks. I bit the bullet and called Telecharge and got a pricey premium Center Orchestra aisle seat for my desired performance. At least I won’t have to worry about sight-lines, knee pain, and whether the show is sold out when I arrive in NYC. I will say that something has to give in relation to exorbitant prices for popular shows (see today’s Hello Dolly! Thread). I can find a way to afford the seat I want, but many cannot. Of course, as long as we will pay, they will not reduce prices. I suppose there is no simple answer. After all, even at high prices, it takes most shows seemingly forever to recoup. I know that is not as much of a factor with Lincoln Center as it is primarily subscription-based. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Spoilers below if you haven't seen the show yet...

I feel the need to write another quick post about this glorious production after revisiting it this weekend. Sher's direction is just insanely good. What's haunted me the most since my most recent viewing are those moments between the ball and "You Did It," when Eliza crosses the stage. Ambrose's acting is so expressive and beautiful—but I got goosebumps at the stage picture that Sher has created with Eliza in the corner, in her gorgeous red coat, looking on with dread, fear, and internal resistance as Higgins' study emerges from the darkness, menacingly approaching almost as if to crush her few fleeting moments of pride and independence. It made her entrance into the set for "You Did It" that much more heartbreaking... BUT, it makes the ending of the production so much more powerful and truly cathartic. Moreover, not only does she break the fourth wall of the study in these moments, but in the ending, she exits the opposite side of the stage she was standing on with fear after the ball—effectively deciding to choose an entirely different life path than what had been dictated to her by Higgins. Eliza is an unequivocal hero in this production.

This production is just so good.

[Sammyria]

Has anyone had any experience of the stage door for My Fair Lady? I am seeing the show on my birthday, and would like to get a programme/playbill signed. I enquired with the theatre whether it would be possible to arrange this in advance but they just directed me to wait at the stage door. I've only ever done this at regional locations in the UK where there have only been a handful of people at worst, so the thought of the much busier NY experience is a bit off putting to me. Add that to the fact that we fly home the following day so ideally want to get back to the hotel fairly soon after the theatre.

Is there a souvenir brochure available?

 

[sm33]

Sammyria said: "Is therea souvenir brochure available?"

I assume that's the large booklet I saw in the lobby - they were stacked up with a sign that asked for $1 donation if you took one. 

 

[sm33]

Saw the show yesterday (from Linctix seats C 505 and 506, on the far right orchestra in the second row) and loved it. I was worried about sight lines, but as someone mentioned further upthread, the only things I missed were a couple of entrances to the study due to the couch's placement directly between me and the study door. The leg room for our seats was fine. 

I'll start off by saying my only exposure to the show has been through the OBCR and the film. I love both, and know the show well through them, but I had never seen a production before. Lauren Ambrose exceeded my expectations, and her "I Could Have Danced All Night" was the high point of the show for me. But honestly, I thought everyone was great in their roles, and I especially enjoyed Henry Hadden-Paton's take on Higgins. The set design and staging were very visually appealing - my only complaint was with the ensemble actually audibly talking during scenes when they were gathered together, because it was occasionally hard to hear Eliza talking over them, especially in the first scene. 

For those who are looking to see the show in the future: when we went to pick up our tickets, there were several people trying to buy them for that day's performance, and they were all told it was completely sold out and they'd have to try the cancellation line. Granted, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon, but just in case you were thinking about popping in and getting a ticket last minute, know that it might not work out. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

sm33 said: "I assume that's the large booklet I saw in the lobby - they were stacked up with a sign that asked for $1 donation if you took one."

I actually looked for souvenir programs during my last visit to the show. What you’re talking about are Lincoln Center Theater magazines, which are available during every production at the Beaumont and have lots of interesting information about the history and background of My Fair Lady. They’re not, however, souvenir programs, which apparently don’t exist right now. The merch person I spoke to about it said they plan to have programs eventually, but didn’t know about any timeframe.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

I'm so excited. I'm seeing this again in July with some friends.

[Dancingthrulife2]

For those eyeing for a last-minute ticket, I noticed they tend to release some premium tickets (sometimes with a slew of normal ones) two or three performances early around the hour the performance starts while booking for my third visit. 

[Musical Master]

The new My Fair Lady TV spot shows some new footage of "Get Me to the Church on Time" and a good look at Lauren Ambrose in her Embassy Ball gown and it's gorgeous!