My Fair Lady, Suffolk Young People’s Theatre, The Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

This 30th production for Suffolk Young People’s Theatre looked unlikely following the death in 2007 of the group’s founder Ray Dyer. However following donations made at Mr Dyer's memorial service a bursary was created to enable budding directors to continue his legacy.

Mr Dyer, who worked as county drama advisor for Suffolk County Council, set up SYPT in 1979 and past shows have included Chicago, Godspell and Guys and Dolls.

For the 2008 performance Richard Stratton and Phil Hooks, from Royal Holloway University, in London, were chosen to direct the show and Graeme Hopson, a talented young musician, took on the role of Musical Director.

The play opens in Covent Garden where we first see the set consisting of tall sets of letters spelling Eliza Doolittle’s famous exclamation ‘ah-ah-oh-oh-oo’, these are then cleverly moved around the stage to represent different settings as the play continues. This is also where we first meet Eliza played by Charlotte Couture and also where she encounters the eternally jolly Colonel Pickering (Ben Musgrove) and the entirely unemotional Professor Higgins (Chris Starkey).  Each one of these actors played their roles to perfection.

But for me the star of the show had to be Matthew Turner who as Alfred Doolittle bought great comic timing and energy to the role and a smile to the faces of the audience whenever he came on stage. 

My Fair Lady is a well-known story and was told with great energy and enthusiasm by SYPT and the fun the entire cast had putting this show together certainly reflected in the performance.

My only criticism would be that I found it difficult to hear the (un-miked) chorus singers, although I could put this down to the fact that we were sitting right in front of the orchestra pit so had the full benefit of the music instead. However this did not detract from my enjoyment of the performance and I wish SYPT every success for the next 30 years!

 

 

To find out more about the Suffolk Young People’s Theatre visit: www.suffolkypt.co.uk
If you are aged between 14 - 21 and would like to become involved in drama then take note of the audition date for next year: Sunday 5th May 2009.

Kerry Burn
August 3rd 2008

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