A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC DELIVERED WITH CHARM AND CHARACTER

By Tanya Howard | Founder, The Live Review London · @glamglitzlondon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Christmas is what The Mill at Sonning does best! And this year’s My Fair Lady is yet another reminder of why they’ve built such a reputation for festive theatre. They know their audience, they know the season, and once again they’ve delivered something warm, charming, and visually impressive.

I’ll confess upfront: I’d never seen My Fair Lady before. Not the film, not a stage version, nothing. And as someone who grew up in South London (very much a cockney girlie), it was hard to watch Eliza be treated like dirt, no more than a bet, with no thought for her feelings or dignity. If Higgins had spoken about me like I wasn’t in the room, I’d have taken the Colonel’s cash, opened my flower shop and told them all where to go. But that’s the story itself, not this production. And this production has a lot to love.

SIMBI AKANDA DELIVERS A BEAUTIFUL TRANSFORMATION AND MARK MORAGHAN STEALS THE SHOW

Simbi Akande gives a brilliant performance as Eliza Doolittle. She moves from fiery cockney to refined lady with a grace that feels believable and honest. Her vocals are beautiful, and she holds the audience the entire time she is on stage. My only gripe is with “Just You Wait,” where Higgins’ interjections overshadow her vocal moments. Less from him, or mimed words, would have let the number land more powerfully.

But it was Mark Moraghan as Alfred P Doolittle that stole the show for me. He was funny, charismatic, and lifted every scene he was part of. I could have watched him all night. His two big numbers “With A Little Bit Of Luck” and “Get Me To The Church On Time” were my absolute highlights. But credit where it’s due, they wouldn’t have landed without the ensemble’s energy, the choreography, and the overall joyful staging around him.

THE ENSEMBLE’S MULTI TALENTED ACTOR-MUSICIANS BRING ADD A RICH, LIVELY ENERGY TO THEIR SCENES

Another thing I loved was the use of actor-musicians. Having members of the ensemble play live instruments added so much richness. Emma Fraser on violin and piano, Conor McFarlane on accordion and violin, and James William-Pattison on banjo and guitar. It’s genuinely impressive watching performers act, dance, sing and handle instruments without missing a beat.

With the costumes, they were mostly beautiful, well-made, and worked perfectly with the world of the musical. However, I struggled with the choice of black outfits for the Transylvanian Embassy ball outfits as I didn’t find them striking enough. Eliza’s ball gown, while pretty, didn’t flatter her or give that iconic moment any real magic. Mrs Higgins had the best outfit of the evening and while she looked wonderful, that should not have been the case for that scene.

SEAMLESS SET CHANGES AND DELICIOUS DINING ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE

The set changes and costume changes are done with real care. There are many locations and looks in this show and the team handle them well. The first half surprised me because I enjoyed it more than the second. That is unusual for a musical, but it speaks to how strong the early scenes are.

And of course, part of the joy at The Mill is the dining. Bread and olives to start, followed by your choice of main and dessert. I chose the steak pie but swapped the chips for dauphinoise potatoes (because I absolutely will not pass those up). Most people went for turkey, but I can’t bear the risk of dry turkey so chose not to take the risk. For dessert I went for the cheese plate with crackers, celery and grapes.

Overall, this My Fair Lady is classic The Mill at Sonning Christmas fare. The performances are strong. The music is beautiful. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Even if the story itself makes me want to rewrite the whole thing into a feminist revenge comedy, I still walked out smiling. And that’s exactly the kind of festive magic The Mill delivers year after year.

NB: My Fair Lady runs at the Mill at Sonning until 17 January. Dinner is included before the show and the menu has small changes from 28 December.

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Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography