LH wrote: “In the Greek legend from which Shaw took the play’s title, the sculptor Pygmalion created the statue of his ideal woman as he despised the behaviour of real women on his island of Cyprus. He fell in love with his own creation and when it was brought miraculously to life, they married.
Shaw turns this legend on its head – Higgins is interested only in the limited process of creating a duchess out of a common flower girl in 6 months, whereas Eliza is interested in the rest of her life. Higgins eventually admits that he has grown ‘accustomed to her voice and appearance’ and says that she should stay ‘for the fun of it’, but this may not be enough to satisfy Eliza…..
WARNING. Ambitious flower girls who watch this play must not imagine that they can pass themselves off as fine ladies by untutored imitation. They must learn their alphabet over again, and different, from a phonetic expert. Imitation will only make them ridiculous.”
Programme Note #2: Pygmalion
“What is life but a series of inspired follies – the difficulty is to find them to do”
Britain 1912
Lloyd George has his National Insurance and Invalidity Act passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, despite great opposition.
The SS Titanic, with 2,224 people on board, sank while on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic with the loss of 1,513 lives.
Mrs. Pankhurst and Mrs. Pethwick-Lawrence famous leaders of the Suffragette movement, were sentenced to 9 months imprisonment for civil disobedience.
Lorraine Hanner, voted last year’ best actress by Brighton and Hove Arts Council, makes her debut as a director next month in a production of Pygmalion for the Wick Theatre Company.
“I’m scared to death,” she said this week. “It’s going to be Wick’s entry for this year’s local drama competition and as they won last year it is a heavy responsibility.” Lorraine is also playing the rôle of Eliza – having been asked to when she was unable to find anyone else suitable. She last played it in My Fair Lady at Brighton’s Theatre Royal, seven years ago. The part of Henry Higgins is being taken by Paddy Buxton, vicar of Kingston Bucci Church at Shoreham.
Publicity #2: Pygmalion
Publication: Shoreham Herald
Publication Data: September 19 1986 issue – page 17
Text Header: “Rector’s lead role”
Text: Content
ST JULIAN’S rector Paddy Buxton leads the Wick Theatre Company cast as Professor Higgins in their production of Pygmalion opening next week. The part of his cockney protege, Eliza Doolittle, is to be played by Lorraine Hanner, who has also directed the show.
There will be five performances starting next Wednesday, September 24, at The Barn, Southwick.
Tickets are available from Southwick Community Centre.
AUDIENCES have two more chances to catch up on Wick Theatre Company’s latest production at the Barn Theatre, Southwick.
Lorraine Hanner is both director and star in their version of Pygmalion playing Eliza Doolittle opposite the Professor Higgins of Paddy Buxton, rector of St Julian’s Church, Shoreham.
Pygmalion continues at the Barn tonight [Friday] with a final performance tomorrow night [7.45p.m.].
REVIEW – NEXT WEEK
SHOREHAM clergyman Paddy Buxton burst onto the Southwick amateur dramatic scene last Wednesday with an awesome portrayal of George Bernard Shaw’s Professor Higgins. The debut-making rector of Kingston Buci produced a flawless performance in Wick Theatre Company’s production of the old favourite, Pygmalion. With the tortured vowels of Cockney Eliza Doolittle rang around Southwick’s Barn Theatre, Paddy proved he should no longer restrict his talents to the pulpit. If the reaction of the audience was anything to go by, he will be forced to repeat his acting success by public demand.
Director and co-star Lorraine Hanner, pictured above, right, also deserved a round of applause for her enthusiastic rendering of Eliza. She adjusted well to both facets of the part – making a successful transition from the loud, vulgar flower-girl to a polished, poised ‘duchess’. Perhaps surprisingly, the demanding part did not seem to drain her directing skills and there were remarkably few first night hiccups.
Among Pygmalion’s chief hallmarks are the witty flowing dialogue and the finely-drawn characters. Two excellent performances which brought out both these strengths came from Ron Cheesman as the Colonel and Ralph Dawes as Eliza’s dustman father.
Characters
They both developed their characters with considerable skill and flair. Also showing a depth of understanding within their rôles were Daphne Thornton as the professor’s housekeeper and Betty Dawes as his mother.
Colourful costumes and realistic scenery added to the success – despite the somewhat lengthy scene changes.
