It's hard to mess up a classic.
What's harder is taking a familiar musical, adored on Broadway and further popularized on film, and dazzling an audience with it. The University Theatre undertook this very task with their presentation of "My Fair Lady," which opened last Friday.
The tried-and-true musical is based on George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion," a play derived from Greek mythology. Julie Andrews got her first taste of fame when "My Fair Lady" made her into a Broadway star in the 1950s, and the 1964 film version of the musical featured silver-screen darling Audrey Hepburn in the role of Eliza Doolittle.
Needless to say, Jennifer Theby had a lot to live up to as Eliza, the crass flower girl whom snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins (James Malone) crafts into a lady so perfect, and so refined, that he can't help falling in love with her-all on a wager placed by his bachelor friend Colonel Pickering (Adam Thenhaus).
Theby is perfectly irritating as a disheveled, chattering street rat, who, despite her obvious flaws, is both innocent and eager to improve her station in life.
Upon her first introduction into the upper-class circles of English society, Freddy (Ryan McEnaney) becomes taken with her charms, even though she slips out of character, revealing her true identity and proving that her transformation isn't quite complete.
As the new Eliza crystallizes, however, she straightens up into a graceful young woman-and Higgins takes all of the credit.
An embittered Eliza flees to Mrs. Higgins (Jessica Vonder Haar), who is not at all surprised by Higgins' juvenile behavior.
Higgins must realize that Eliza is much more than just his handiwork: She has a mind of her own and will not stand for being treated as less than the lady that she has become.
Although Eliza reciprocates Freddy's interest upon her flight from Higgins, as the story ends it is unclear whether her heart belongs to the professor, after all.
Both Theby and Malone are strong performers, perfectly capable of carrying the show. Eliza's transition from obnoxious to elegant is rightly drastic, and her "loverly" voice executes familiar favorites-particularly, "I Could Have Danced All Night"-without a flaw.
Malone's presence onstage makes him a believable tyrant as Higgins. His voice is equally powerful, both when speaking and when engaged in song. Thenhaus' poise as Pickering is right on target, and Paul Balfe's performance as Alfred D. Doolittle, Eliza's father, provides for some of the show's finest moments of humor.
The cockney chorus was, without a doubt, lively and animated. The musical numbers with the full ensemble were not, however, as strong as they could be: Harmonies weren't always tight, and the choreography was not always perfectly executed.
There were enough solid performers onstage to carry the show, but audiences always notice details; it goes without saying that a team is only as strong as its weakest link.
"My Fair Lady" isn't without imperfections, but it showcases the University Theatre's best talent.
Performances continue this weekend in the Xavier Hall theatre on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25 and 26, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at the box office in Xavier Hall (977-3327), $8 for faculty and staff members and $6 for students.
