My Fair Lady: 2001 London Cast Recording

YEAR: 2001
CAST: Jonathan Pryce, Martine McCutcheon, Mark Umbers, Dennis Waterman, Nicholas Le Prevost

I only saw this wonderful production very late in life, back in early 2003, by which time it was onto its third cast (I saw Anthony Andrews with Katie Knight-Adams and Laura Michelle-Kelly respectively – a young Michael Xavier played Freddy). I was overwhelmed by the slickness of it; even for a Cameron Mackintosh show, this My Fair Lady felt glossy to the extreme. In the context of this musical, this was most welcome.

What a terrific cast recording this is. Everything about it oozes class, right down to the glossy booklet in the case. The 34-piece orchestra sound magnificent and the casting is second to none.

If you’re reading this review, chances are that you’re as obsessed with musical theatre as I am, so a detailed history of this production’s early troubles is unnecessary. Did Martine McCutcheon deserve her controversial* Olivier Award win? Probably not, in truth. But her performance on this recording is a wonderful capture of how terrific she could have been in the role of Eliza Doolittle. I remember the hyperbole at the time vividly; the marketing line was (from Cameron himself) that Martine was the next huge star of the stage – a future Julie Andrews. Yes, seriously. The gimmick being that, for the first time, the character is real. A real-life working class cockney girl (McCutcheon was born and bred in Hackney), who worked feverishly on her R.P accent – as opposed to the usual posh girl learning to talk ‘common’. For what it’s worth, although I find Martine’s voice rather thin, especially in ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’, her characterisation is lovely and really feels warm and genuine. I find her very listenable when not ‘overexposed’ vocally.

Jonathan Pryce gives simply a masterclass in acting for musical theatre. His Higgins is note perfect, every intonation and characterisation meticulously considered. Grumpy, arrogant.. yet somehow still human – still likeable, Pryce is magnificent. This performance should be played to young actors as the example of how to act through song. That’s not to say he can’t sing – he can and does when needed, putting him streets ahead of Rex Harrison on that score. Mark Umbers is suitably over the top and sings nicely as Freddy, a thankless role in truth. Dennis Waterman (not my favourite person after his admissions of alcohol-fuelled violence towards his ex-wives) makes a decent Alfred. I do wonder how strange it must’ve been to sing every night about being a drunken fool.

The recording flies by with no weak numbers or dodgy performances. Longish instrumental sections are left in during ‘Ascot Gavotte’, for instance, which is only a good thing when the orchestra sounds this good.

100% recommended!

*Jonathan Pryce, McCutcheon’s co-star, infamously heckled her win at the 2002 Olivier Award ceremony. Her understudy, Joanna Riding, played more performances than her at both the National Theatre and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. When Riding eventually fell ill, a young Kerry Ellis performed at short notice in front of an audience containing a certain Brian May, leading to the strangest friendship in showbiz.