Pygmalion - still a play for our times
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Jonas Cemm. Performed by Tread the Boards at The Rother Street Arts House, Stratford, Wednesday 12 August until 16 August 2026.
Review by Charles Esssex
George Bernard Shaw’s famous play was written over 100 years ago, yet it is still a play for our times. Misogyny, the powerlessness of women, the vulnerability of the poor, the burden sudden wealth can bring, and the hubris of powerful people are addressed as director Jonas Cemm uses this talented cast to highlight the outcome of this conflict of values.
Staging the production in the (air conditioned) foyer of the new Rother Street Arts House, rather than the main theatre, was a master stroke. With seating on either side, in the form of a traverse stage, the audience was intimately involved with the characters.
John-Robert Partridge (JP) gave Professor Higgins the perfect combination of arrogance, conceit, moodiness and sulkiness as he delighted in the intellectual challenge to transform street urchin Eliza Doolittle (Emily Tietz) from a girl selling flowers on the pavement into a duchess who could fool the social elite of the day.
JP was a forceful presence whenever he was on stage, apart from when he was being rebuked by his mother (Dawn Bush), when he responded with childish petulance. Dawn’s performance in this role was one of her best. Phil Jennings portrayed Colonel Pickering as the ideal foil to Higgins, showing respect, gentleness and understanding as he and Higgins adopt Eliza.
Emily was excellent throughout, bringing energy and enthusiasm as the poor flower girl she was initially, but she wonderfully contrasted this with her exaggerated politeness and faux posh speech at the social visit to Mrs Higgins’ house. This comical encounter with the lisping Mrs Eynsford-Hill (Melanie Revill, who also played Higgins’ combative housekeeper Mrs Pierce, and was first rate in both roles) and her daughter Clara (Hannah Harding-Phelan) was hilarious .
William Hayes gave an accomplished performance in his role as Alfred Doolittle, Eliza’s father. He gave Alfred’s predicament real emotion, as he authentically portrayed his dilemmas of initially trying to make some money and his uncertain relationship with Eliza, and then receiving vast wealth in a will.
The great chemistry between JP and Emily meant the verbal sparring between Higgins and Eliza felt genuine and in the last scene became even more hostile. Higgins had already revealed his lack of insight and complete absence of emotional intelligence and consideration, and Emily communicated Eliza’s sadness at Higgins’s hurtful words, but strength in standing her ground against his misogynistic comments.
The change of scenes was cleverly choreographed with accompanying background music of the tunes from the film, whilst the cast acted as scene changers. The full house for this opening matinee clearly appreciated this top quality production, with ideal casting as we have come to expect from Tread the Boards.
Tickets from Rother Street Arts House - Stratford-upon-Avon
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