Lavish production of show is sure to impress

MY FAIR LADY,

NEW LYRIC OPERATIC COMPANY,

GRAND OPERA HOUSE

DESPITE a few opening night set problems and its three-hour duration, this lavish production is still up there with the best of them.

          Sporting great lighting, a dream cast of local principals and the virtually faultless production team of Tony Finnegan (direction), Wilson Shields (musical direction) and Mary MacDonagh (choreography), this impressive staging of the rags to riches story offers a nice balance of big busy production numbers - with a lively mix of show-stopping choreography and top-notch choral and ensemble work - against the more intimate and character-based performances from the main protagonists.

          Solid support comes from Des Loughridge's gentle Pickering, Olive Melville's `Scottish' Mrs Pearce, Gerry McBrien's ever­-dancing Doolittle, John Lindop's fine-voiced Freddy and Alison McCalister's calm and collected Mrs Higgins.

          Despite his required patter-style vocals, Brian Trainor adds a refreshing degree of personality to the normally one dimensional Higgins, without over-doing any warmth. Revelling in his character's challenge of transforming a common flower girl into a lady, Trainor achieves great success in a role far removed from his trademark comedy parts.

          I may have been singing her praises for almost five years now, but teenager, Amy Harper, still never ceases to amaze me with her talent as an actress, dancer and singer, and - in the demanding role of Eliza Doolittle - again proves to be the perfect all-rounder.