The Rain In Spain Lands Mainly on the Plain

So this weekend I journeyed back to the Cambridge Arts Theatre for a revival and 100th anniversary performance of George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion.

Whether it's Pygmalion or My Fair Lady most people are familiar with the character of Eliza Doolittle - the common flower girl transformed by phonetics specialist Professor Higgins into a society lady. The role has been immortalized on stage and on screen by iconic actresses including Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn and this time it was the turn of Rachel Barry to step into the lovable cockney's shoes.

Now before anyone gets carried away there is no singing in the original play version. Those expecting a resounding rendition of 'Wouldn't it be loverly' would have been sorely disappointed. I on the other hand am not the world's biggest fan of musicals, ingrained since secondary school, so I was delighted that nobody sprang into song to share their emotions.

For those who may not know, the play centers around a bet. Professor Higgins claims to his friend Colonel Pickering, that he can transform Eliza from a cockney flower girl and pass her off as a Duchess at an ambassadors garden party. Not only does he change her state of living, but he also changes her walk, her manners and her dialect to win the bet. From it's first performance, the play was acknowledged for mocking British class systems of the early 20th Century whilst also highlighting women's independence.

As I mentioned earlier a lot of famous actors have played the role of Eliza, but Rachel Barry definitely held her own. From her opening scene as the happy go lucky Eliza we saw her gradual, and believable, transformation into a high society woman who could fool anyone. It's also not easy to outdo Rex Harrison's version of Professor Higgins, yet Alistair McGowan deserves praise for his comical portrayal of Higgins. His impressionist skills definitely came in handy and he captured the stubbornness of Higgins exceptionally well. Jamie Forman never fails to impress me and his long renditions left the audience applauding and quite rightly so. Rula Lenska, as Higgins mother, provided the voice of reason to Higgins experiments and refuge for Eliza.

Although I was slightly apprehensive at first I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and felt that the director and cast had done the play justice. My only concern had nothing to do with the play. I'd had an early start and was running off 4 hours sleep so I was worried I'd nod off in the theatre. So did I? Not bloody likely.

Alas, you've missed your opportunity to see it in Cambridge, but never fear for the performance is touring the country so there is still time to see it! For more information about the Cambridge Arts Theatre visit www.cambridgeartstheatre.com. There are definitely some exciting plays that have caught my eye.