My Fair Lady at the Bruce Mason Centre

By SHANNON HUSE

The My Fair Lady experience is such a trip back in time. It's like taking high tea in a posh hotel, old-fashioned and mannered but lovely to look at and quite delicious.

The story of Professor Henry Higgins' transformation of Eliza Doolittle from flower girl to refined lady is so well known that you assume it is a staple of musical theatre, performed by a company at least once every two years.

Surprisingly, this is North Shore Music Theatre's first performance of the show in its 42-year history. But it's a notch above the average amateur production.

The singing is of a high standard, and the action is well-paced and moves along nicely, despite the three-hour duration. The set and costumes are impressive.

Director Grant Meese has a canny eye for casting and he seems to have a deep pool of talent to choose from. It's a pleasant change to see all the characters played by people of the right age and physical type, with none of the dodgy ageing up or body padding often seen in amateur companies.

Blair McKinnon strikes the right note as Professor Higgins, playing up his character's passion for linguistics and eccentricity and softening his cold bully-boy traits. Christine Creagh as Eliza has a powerful clear voice and an Audrey Hepburn-like charm. She literally shines in her fairytale moment at the Embassy Ball.

In smaller roles, Nigel Godfrey is charismatic as the incorrigible Alfred Doolittle, TV3 weatherman Russell Dixon is suitably puppy-dog-like as the lovestruck Freddy Eynsford-Hill, and Sherrin Scelly displays excellent comic timing as the acerbic Mrs Higgins.

The show has high production values, from the orchestra and complicated set with its revolving, flying pieces through to the lavish costumes and glossy souvenir programme.

All in all, it's a loverly indulgence for fans of traditional music theatre.

* My Fair Lady is at the Bruce Mason Centre to Saturday