One need not be an avid, traditional musical theatre fan in order to know the Cinderella tale about a cockney flower girl turned proper-speaking elite, Ms. Eliza Doolittle. Indeed, if the title of Lerner and Loewe’s 1956 work, “My Fair Lady,” does not immediately strike a chord, the contagious song titles ranging from “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” to “Get Me To The Church On Time” will—not to mention its 1964 Academy Award-winning film stamped with the face (but not the voice) of Audrey Hepburn.

With preceding shows surrounding outspoken puppets and a murdering barber, it is high-time that the Center Theatre Group chose a classic piece for its famished traditional patrons. Save for a bit of frenetic direction and overall acoustic issues, the Cameron Mackintosh/National Theatre of Great Britain nevertheless succeeds in cheering up a tainted Los Angeles crowd.

“My Fair Lady” is a lavish musical that appears to an audience’s every sense, but captures the most attention visually. From the chilling, foggy atmosphere of Covent Garden’s lower class peddlers to the book-lined two-story walls of Higgin’s upper-class house, Olivier Award-winning scenic and costume designer Anthony Ward imbues a familiar silver screen quality unto the theatrical stage.

Further bolstering the visual appeal are the eye-catching costumes. Ward seems to have a field day in decorating the elegant spectators at the “Ascot Gavotte,” tip-toeing and muttering to each other across the stage likes horses or creatures of the wild in lacy black dresses and feather hats. Furthermore, in the glistening Embassy Ball scene, Ward does not shy away from adorning the entire female ensemble with stunning, long flowing beaded dresses that sparkle with every move of the waltz.

While the colorful scenery draws in the audience’s eyes, the music maintains the interest of their ears, whether it be sung melodically or spoken in a harsh yell across the orchestra. Unfortunately, the chilly acoustics of the Ahmanson Theatre fail to amplify the latter, leading sympathetic ears to tune in perhaps more than they would expect to. Indeed, long before Henry instructs Eliza on proper English vowels, his spoken and sung voice blend into a muttered echo.

It is evident that the role of the professor in “My Fair Lady,” originated by non-singer Rex Harrison, was never meant for a trained voice. In continuing that tradition, Christopher Cazenove tends to blend that fine line between a clear petulant rumble and mere incoherent shouting, although not nearly as much as Tim Jerome’s Alfred P. Doolittle, which is barely audible over the percussive orchestra. Thankfully for Jerome, this insignificant detail seems to be overridden by his overwhelming stage presence. When he is not marching drunkenly to “With A Little Bit of Luck” or “Get Me To The Church On Time,” he is milking up the applause with a cheeky smile.

A role that does require a trained set of vocal cords is Eliza Doolittle, performed by London’s “Mary Poppins” veteran, the talented Lisa O’Hare. At first sight, the thin, porcelain-like Royal Ballet School-trained O’Hare resembles the spitting image of Aurdrey Hepburn. Her equally light and airy soprano voice that at times can barely hold the high notes further completes the character. Even with Cazenove’s overly dry and sardonic portrayal, which fails to prove a romantic affection for Eliza, O’Hare brings the production together as the necessary glue.

Given that “My Fair Lady” is already a signature piece of the musical theatre genre, I must applaud director Trevor Nunn for not making drastic changes, but rather, heightening the remarkable tale. Although Nunn strays a bit from classical staging, especially in the infamous number, “On The Street Where You Live,” where Justin Bohon plays an excessively goofy Freddy, frantically jumping across the stage, his production still manages to convey the expected sensibility of our beloved “My Fair Lady.”

With assistance from UK’s prized choreographer Matthew Bourne, CTG’s production presents an aesthetic twist on the conventional production, most noticeably with the deafening “Stomp”-like trash-can lid postlude of “With A Little Bit of Luck.” While the audience appeared to be extremely amused, I was thankful once the song finally came to an end.

Performing a classic to a contemporary audience is no easy feat, and yet, Makintosh’s famed revival of “My Fair Lady,” currently playing at the Ahmanson Theatre, maintains both the piece’s integrity and timeless charm.

By Danielle Jacoby

Photo Credit: Gallery Studios/Tampa