From Covent Garden to the Teatro — My Fair Lady is simply loverly

The Teatro at Montecasino recently came alive with Edwardian charm and an exuberant spirit as the latest Pieter Toerien and Cape Town Opera collaboration, My Fair Lady, was brought to a Johannesburg audience. Having enjoyed a much-celebrated run in Cape Town in December, it is now time for  Johannesburg audiences to be wowed. Guided by director Steven Stead, an exceptional cast worked tirelessly to bring the much-loved classic tale to life. Stage-commanding performances were delivered by a stellar cast which included Craig Urbani, Leah Mari and Graham Hopkins.

Urbani brings the formidable character of Henry Higgins to life with dry wit, occasional impatience and a touch of warmth, expertly steering Higgins away from caricature. In so doing, he delivers a multifaceted and textured performance of the Edwardian Higgins. Mari is phenomenal as Eliza Doolittle, a role she made her own with a layered performance. Her sharp comedic timing and tender emotional depth take the audience along for the ride as her character unfolds, from Wouldn’t it be Loverly to I Could Have Danced All Night.

The show has both musically and opera-trained cast members, owing to the Cape Town Opera collaboration, which takes the well-known tunes to a heightened level. Stead strategically tweaks the tale for 2025 while preserving Lerner and Loewe’s classic essence.

The supporting cast adds richness and texture to the production. Megan Spencer, as Mrs Pearce, brings a restrained humour and warmth to her role as she keeps an eye out for Eliza among the Edwardian men. The love-to-hate character of Alfred P Doolittle, played by Mark Richardson, delivers show-stopping renditions of With a Little Bit of Luck and Get Me to the Church on Time while Sandi Dlangalala, as Freddy Eynsford-Hill, performs a delightful scene on Wimpole Street to On the Street where you Live.

But the true treat of the evening came from the sets. They sent my photographer’s mind into a state of nirvana as each scene was unveiled on the revolve. I found myself lost in another world. First along the streets of Covent Garden, then on to gritty Tottenham Court Road and later into the intimate confines of the opulent Higgins study. I sat there transfixed, taking in not only the intricate details imbued into each scene but the rich tapestry of colours and textures that added to the layered storytelling unfolding before my eyes.

Renowned Durban-based set designer Greg King has done a remarkable job of creating a series of sets that not only support the storyline but serve as a means to enrich the development of many of the lead characters. From the evolution of Eliza to the softening of Higgins towards the end of the production, the sets, combined with masterful lighting by Denis Hutchinson, deserve a standing ovation. The use of a revolve, a choice by King that flowed from his creative process, added a sense of dynamism and fluidity to the production and allowed scenes to blend effortlessly into one another as the show progressed.

“I love big open scene changes,” said King as we discussed his approach to design, “the audience gets to experience the stage transform before their very eyes.” And he is right. I felt the use of the revolve draw me into the production, making it an immersive experience, even from the “U” row in The Teatro.

King shared the impression left on his teenage self from a performance of My Fair Lady, particularly the grand scale of the performance, and how this became a source of inspiration for his design in the current run. “I was looking to honour and recreate this enchanted feeling,” King said.

His attention to detail is evident throughout. The Covent Garden Flower Market scene, with its rich textures and earthy hues, contrasts beautifully with the black and white motif of the race meeting at Ascot. The emotive pinks of the cherry blossom tree along Wimpole Street were fabulous to behold, reflecting the whimsical state of idealised love Freddy Eynsford-Hill holds for Eliza.

Beyond the technical and performance elements of the show, this current production of My Fair Lady will resonate with a contemporary SA audience. Exploring themes of identity and self-worth seems strikingly relevant in 2025 SA. The marriage of performance and technical mastery delivers a production that feels personal, celebratory and vibrant.

Hats off to Pieter Toerien Productions and Cape Town Opera for delivering a production that showcases our depth of local talent, both on stage and behind the scenes.

• ‘My Fair Lady’ runs until March 2 at The Teatro at Montecasino, with tickets available through Webtickets. The production then moves on to the Playhouse in Durban from March 8-16.