Full Article Text
ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
Michael Giltz
Freelance writer
GET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ
Read more
Rupert Everett , London , Pygmalion , Theater , Entertainment News
0
3
1
0React
Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Rupert Everett Growls His
Way Through Pygmalion
PYGMALION ** out of ****
LORD OF THE FLIES * 1/2 out of ****
OPERATION GREENFIELD ** 1/2 out of ****
PYGMALION ** out of ****
Has another great play ever been so strongly eclipsed by
a musical version? Pygmalion is one of Bernard Shaw's
best works, but it is clearly in the shadow of My FairLady , one of the greatest musicals of all time. It's lovely
to revisit this comic romance sans music; but it's ashame they didn't come up with any particular reasonfor doing so.
Rupert Everett is certainly spot-on casting as the world's
most famous confirmed bachelor, that woman-hating linguist Professor Henry Higgins. He and new
friend Pickering spot a ragged flower girl with atrocious grammar one evening. Higgins vows to improveher speech and manners so much that in six months time she could pass for a duchess at anambassador's ball. By George, I think he'll do it.
The set design is particularly unattractive and the direction quite dull. (Often, actors merely stand or sit
at opposite ends of the stage and talk to each other.) Both are unfortunately credited to Philip Prowsewho has worked in Glasgow theater for decades.
MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
New Photos Emerge In
Anthony Weiner Twitter
Scandal
Anthony Weiner Admits
Sending Racy Pictures,
Refuses To Resign FOLLOW US
PHOTOS: Who Won
Big At This Year's
'Fashion Oscars'?Nancy Pelosi
Wears Vintage
Thierry Mugler To
7 Sites You Should
Be Wasting Time
On Right Now7 Celebrity Fad
DietsBIG NEWS: Television The Kardashians Celebrities LeAnn Rimes Smarter Ideas More Log in | Sign Up
News Web
Stars Reveal Their Acting Secrets
More In Entertainment: Swanson Hot
For Coulter... DiCaprio Going Bad?...
Fat Joe's Weight Loss...
NSFW PHOTO: Rooney Mara Goes
NUDE In 'The Girl With The Dragon
Tattoo' Poster
Like 39
Posted: 05/31/11 06:41 AM ET
SHARE THIS STORY
Send
Like
Submit this story
Get Entertainment Alerts
Sign UpPHOTO GALLERIES
Like 6K
Like 19KCONNECT
FRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
LIVINGIMPACT MORE LOCAL
Like 316K
This production opened on the road and then recast its Eliza Doolittle with one-time Eastenders star
Kara Tointon. She is too broad as the guttersnipe and not refined enough as the reborn swan, though
Tointon certainly has the loveliness down pat. The one scene in which she shines is the show's bestmoment: her first outing as a lady where Eliza keeps saying "How do you do?" with exaggerated elan.
Without a proper foil, the dependable Everett is a bit adrift, barking and sniping in a show far more
serious and dark than the one at hand. Even the great Diana Rigg can do little here, though she does it
with charm. Only Peter Eyre puts a stamp on Pickering, playing the role with subdued dignity and a voice
so sonorous and lovely it makes the rest of us sound like Cockney layabouts.
LORD OF THE FLIES * 1/2 out of ****
The Regents Park Open Air Theatre is akin to New York's Shakespeare in the Park, a novel way to
experience theater. New artistic director Timothy Sheader has smartly expanded the reach of the theater
by programming more adventurous fare. It doesn't always work, but the gambit will make this venue
healthier in the long run.
I'm simply not a fan of Lord Of The Flies in any of its forms. The story is so blunt and obvious as parable
that the fun is taken out, though it does make it catnip for teachers who want a short book their students
might actually read. The tale depicts British schoolboys crash-landed on an island. Decent folk wouldexpect these lads to pull together and be sensible. Surely they'll care for the little ones and stay safe whilewaiting for rescue? Instead, the little beasties soon degenerate into savagery. This was a revelation onceupon a time, apparently, though anyone who's ever watched little kids at play should know they can becasually cruel to one another.
This adaptation by Nigel Williams has a few good ideas, mainly adding in some evocative dance and
choreography. They should have gone further and treated the story as pure myth and ritual. The lads --led by handsome young Alistair Toovey -- give their all, but to no avail. It doesn't help that this story inparticular should go barreling towards its conclusion in about 80 minutes, not pause for a 20-minutebreak. Tech credits however are superb. You walk into the theater and say, "Wow, what an amazing set!"thanks to smoke and wreckage that makes the stage look like the opening scene of TV's Lost, complete
with a plane snapped in two. Unfortunately, you leave with the same thought, "what an amazing set."
That is never a good sign, though full credit to designer Jon Bausor.
OPERATION GREENFIELD ** 1/2 out of ****
Little Bulb Theatre is a small company that's proving adept at both unique theatrical offerings and
gaining attention for them, both key elements to survival in fringe theater. They are certainly one to
watch.
Their latest show is Operation Greenfield at Soho Theatre. It's a goofy little tale about four kids growing
up in a small town in England who form a Christian rock group to compete in the local battle of the
bands contest. The script boasts a number of ideas, none of them fully developed. Music as life-changingexperience has its fullest treatment when they unexpectedly dive into a David Bowie tune and have theirminds blown; it is the show's most theatrical and satisfying moment. However, they soon retreat tocalmer musical waters. Music as dangerous gateway to experimentation gets brief tryouts thanks to oneband member being tempted by cigarettes and two of the girls suddenly making out. This too goes
The Twitter Typo That
Exposed Weiner
Engadget: WWDC 2011
liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS
5, OS X Lion, iCloud and
more!
Engadget: Live from
Microsoft's E3 2011 keynote!
The Center for Public
Integrity FACT WATCH: Sarah
Palin's Twist on Paul Revere
E. Coli: Blame The Meat, Not
The Sprouts
Engadget: Live from
Nintendo's E3 2011 keynote!
Engadget: Live from Sony's
E3 2011 keynote!
DON'T MISS HUFFPOST BLOGGERS 1 of 5
Steven Chu
A Safe, Secure Nuclear Future
Dan Rather
Taking on TARP
More Celebrity News at People.com
Like 1K
Like 13K
Like 479
Like 1K
Like 2K
Like 484
Like 154
Casey Anthony Family
Computer Searched 'NeckBreaking' and 'Death'
READ MORE
Shania Twain Lands VegasShow Deal
READ MORE
Scotty McKnight, HaydenPanettiere a Couple?
READ MORE
Clooney's Girl, ElisabettaCanalis: 'I Will Be Married'
Emma Watson:
Naomie Harris: New
Jennifer Love
Eminem: 'A Kiss'nowhere and is never mentioned again, really. Even religion barely merits a passing comment.
Mostly, the piece is a showcase for its four performers (three women and one man), all of whom have
amusing moments. At times, they play "children" for laughs, rather than specific characters. Happily,they're quite funny at it. The battle of the bands climax is very satisfying and brings the show to a perfect
conclusion...which they then spoil by performing another very out of character musical number that just
drags out the ending. The real star here is director Alexander Scott who keeps things moving briskly andinventively throughout.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and alsoavailable for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to these shows with the understanding that he
would be writing a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
Buy a link here Sponsored Links
Work At Home Jobs EXPOSED
We investigated work at home jobs. What we found may shock you...
HomeJobManual.com
New Policy In NEW YORK
Drivers with no DUIs in Florida may be eligible for $9 per week car insurance.Only Zip Code...
YourInsuranceSearch.com
Mom Is 55, Looks 30...
Her clever $5 wrinkle therapy angers Botox Doctors. Find Out How!
FDXNews8.com
BlackBerry® PlayBook™
Now Available. Introducing The First Professional-grade Tablet.
BlackBerry.com/PlayBook
More in Entertainment...
TOP VIDEO PICKS 1 of 11
One-armed guitarist
impresses Bon Jovi
Ice Loves Coco Stars Keepit Real
Laurence FishburneLeaving CSI
MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW 1 of 2
HOT ON FACEBOOK 1 of 3
HOT ON TWITTER 1 of 2
Sponsored Links
Mom is 48, Looks 32...
Her clever $5 wrinkle therapy angers Botox Doctors.
We reveal how.
More Celebrity News at Popeater.comZach Galifianakis Slams
Sean Penn, Ke$ha, LittleKids
Kim K. Hopes to Be
Pregnant 'by End of Year'
Alec Baldwin Eyeing Run
For Mayor Of New York
City: Report
Jennifer Love Hewitt:
Worst Actress In
Hollywood?
Emma Watson: Guys
Won't Date Me, I Wasn't
Bullied At Brown
Like 962
'Parks & Rec' Star
Campaigns For Oprah To
Join The Show
Like 3K
stark
un nuevo estudio determina que
Monsanto sabía desde 1980 que su
herbicida Roundup produce
defectos de nacimiento:
http://huff.to/llwsR3
charliemc1
Breaking Through Weight Loss
Plateaus http://bit.ly/klV7Kt
Guys Are
Intimidated By
Me,...Bond Girl In 'Bond... Hewitt: Worst
Actress Since
1985,...Calls Lady Gaga
'Male...
HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES
Movies
NY Around
Town
Video
Airlines
Iran
Elections 2012
Gulf Oil Spill
Healthy Living
Health News
Natural
Disasters Buy a link here www.IConsumerReports.com
1 Tip To Make $4000/Month
No Experience Required. Just Home Internet Access!
www.ConsumerFinanceReports.com
BlackBerry® PlayBook™
The Wait is Over. The BlackBerry PlayBook is Here.
Find Out More.
BlackBerry.com/PlayBook
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES »
ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
Advertise | Log In | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ
User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Contact Us
Copyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Part of HuffPost NewsFRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
LIVINGIMPACT MORE LOCAL
Michael Giltz
Freelance writer
GET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ
Read more
Rupert Everett , London , Pygmalion , Theater , Entertainment News
0
3
1
0React
Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: Rupert Everett Growls His
Way Through Pygmalion
PYGMALION ** out of ****
LORD OF THE FLIES * 1/2 out of ****
OPERATION GREENFIELD ** 1/2 out of ****
PYGMALION ** out of ****
Has another great play ever been so strongly eclipsed by
a musical version? Pygmalion is one of Bernard Shaw's
best works, but it is clearly in the shadow of My FairLady , one of the greatest musicals of all time. It's lovely
to revisit this comic romance sans music; but it's ashame they didn't come up with any particular reasonfor doing so.
Rupert Everett is certainly spot-on casting as the world's
most famous confirmed bachelor, that woman-hating linguist Professor Henry Higgins. He and new
friend Pickering spot a ragged flower girl with atrocious grammar one evening. Higgins vows to improveher speech and manners so much that in six months time she could pass for a duchess at anambassador's ball. By George, I think he'll do it.
The set design is particularly unattractive and the direction quite dull. (Often, actors merely stand or sit
at opposite ends of the stage and talk to each other.) Both are unfortunately credited to Philip Prowsewho has worked in Glasgow theater for decades.
MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
New Photos Emerge In
Anthony Weiner Twitter
Scandal
Anthony Weiner Admits
Sending Racy Pictures,
Refuses To Resign FOLLOW US
PHOTOS: Who Won
Big At This Year's
'Fashion Oscars'?Nancy Pelosi
Wears Vintage
Thierry Mugler To
7 Sites You Should
Be Wasting Time
On Right Now7 Celebrity Fad
DietsBIG NEWS: Television The Kardashians Celebrities LeAnn Rimes Smarter Ideas More Log in | Sign Up
News Web
Stars Reveal Their Acting Secrets
More In Entertainment: Swanson Hot
For Coulter... DiCaprio Going Bad?...
Fat Joe's Weight Loss...
NSFW PHOTO: Rooney Mara Goes
NUDE In 'The Girl With The Dragon
Tattoo' Poster
Like 39
Posted: 05/31/11 06:41 AM ET
SHARE THIS STORY
Send
Like
Submit this story
Get Entertainment Alerts
Sign UpPHOTO GALLERIES
Like 6K
Like 19KCONNECT
FRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
LIVINGIMPACT MORE LOCAL
Like 316K
This production opened on the road and then recast its Eliza Doolittle with one-time Eastenders star
Kara Tointon. She is too broad as the guttersnipe and not refined enough as the reborn swan, though
Tointon certainly has the loveliness down pat. The one scene in which she shines is the show's bestmoment: her first outing as a lady where Eliza keeps saying "How do you do?" with exaggerated elan.
Without a proper foil, the dependable Everett is a bit adrift, barking and sniping in a show far more
serious and dark than the one at hand. Even the great Diana Rigg can do little here, though she does it
with charm. Only Peter Eyre puts a stamp on Pickering, playing the role with subdued dignity and a voice
so sonorous and lovely it makes the rest of us sound like Cockney layabouts.
LORD OF THE FLIES * 1/2 out of ****
The Regents Park Open Air Theatre is akin to New York's Shakespeare in the Park, a novel way to
experience theater. New artistic director Timothy Sheader has smartly expanded the reach of the theater
by programming more adventurous fare. It doesn't always work, but the gambit will make this venue
healthier in the long run.
I'm simply not a fan of Lord Of The Flies in any of its forms. The story is so blunt and obvious as parable
that the fun is taken out, though it does make it catnip for teachers who want a short book their students
might actually read. The tale depicts British schoolboys crash-landed on an island. Decent folk wouldexpect these lads to pull together and be sensible. Surely they'll care for the little ones and stay safe whilewaiting for rescue? Instead, the little beasties soon degenerate into savagery. This was a revelation onceupon a time, apparently, though anyone who's ever watched little kids at play should know they can becasually cruel to one another.
This adaptation by Nigel Williams has a few good ideas, mainly adding in some evocative dance and
choreography. They should have gone further and treated the story as pure myth and ritual. The lads --led by handsome young Alistair Toovey -- give their all, but to no avail. It doesn't help that this story inparticular should go barreling towards its conclusion in about 80 minutes, not pause for a 20-minutebreak. Tech credits however are superb. You walk into the theater and say, "Wow, what an amazing set!"thanks to smoke and wreckage that makes the stage look like the opening scene of TV's Lost, complete
with a plane snapped in two. Unfortunately, you leave with the same thought, "what an amazing set."
That is never a good sign, though full credit to designer Jon Bausor.
OPERATION GREENFIELD ** 1/2 out of ****
Little Bulb Theatre is a small company that's proving adept at both unique theatrical offerings and
gaining attention for them, both key elements to survival in fringe theater. They are certainly one to
watch.
Their latest show is Operation Greenfield at Soho Theatre. It's a goofy little tale about four kids growing
up in a small town in England who form a Christian rock group to compete in the local battle of the
bands contest. The script boasts a number of ideas, none of them fully developed. Music as life-changingexperience has its fullest treatment when they unexpectedly dive into a David Bowie tune and have theirminds blown; it is the show's most theatrical and satisfying moment. However, they soon retreat tocalmer musical waters. Music as dangerous gateway to experimentation gets brief tryouts thanks to oneband member being tempted by cigarettes and two of the girls suddenly making out. This too goes
The Twitter Typo That
Exposed Weiner
Engadget: WWDC 2011
liveblog: Steve Jobs talks iOS
5, OS X Lion, iCloud and
more!
Engadget: Live from
Microsoft's E3 2011 keynote!
The Center for Public
Integrity FACT WATCH: Sarah
Palin's Twist on Paul Revere
E. Coli: Blame The Meat, Not
The Sprouts
Engadget: Live from
Nintendo's E3 2011 keynote!
Engadget: Live from Sony's
E3 2011 keynote!
DON'T MISS HUFFPOST BLOGGERS 1 of 5
Steven Chu
A Safe, Secure Nuclear Future
Dan Rather
Taking on TARP
More Celebrity News at People.com
Like 1K
Like 13K
Like 479
Like 1K
Like 2K
Like 484
Like 154
Casey Anthony Family
Computer Searched 'NeckBreaking' and 'Death'
READ MORE
Shania Twain Lands VegasShow Deal
READ MORE
Scotty McKnight, HaydenPanettiere a Couple?
READ MORE
Clooney's Girl, ElisabettaCanalis: 'I Will Be Married'
Emma Watson:
Naomie Harris: New
Jennifer Love
Eminem: 'A Kiss'nowhere and is never mentioned again, really. Even religion barely merits a passing comment.
Mostly, the piece is a showcase for its four performers (three women and one man), all of whom have
amusing moments. At times, they play "children" for laughs, rather than specific characters. Happily,they're quite funny at it. The battle of the bands climax is very satisfying and brings the show to a perfect
conclusion...which they then spoil by performing another very out of character musical number that just
drags out the ending. The real star here is director Alexander Scott who keeps things moving briskly andinventively throughout.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion
makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and alsoavailable for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to these shows with the understanding that he
would be writing a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
Buy a link here Sponsored Links
Work At Home Jobs EXPOSED
We investigated work at home jobs. What we found may shock you...
HomeJobManual.com
New Policy In NEW YORK
Drivers with no DUIs in Florida may be eligible for $9 per week car insurance.Only Zip Code...
YourInsuranceSearch.com
Mom Is 55, Looks 30...
Her clever $5 wrinkle therapy angers Botox Doctors. Find Out How!
FDXNews8.com
BlackBerry® PlayBook™
Now Available. Introducing The First Professional-grade Tablet.
BlackBerry.com/PlayBook
More in Entertainment...
TOP VIDEO PICKS 1 of 11
One-armed guitarist
impresses Bon Jovi
Ice Loves Coco Stars Keepit Real
Laurence FishburneLeaving CSI
MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW 1 of 2
HOT ON FACEBOOK 1 of 3
HOT ON TWITTER 1 of 2
Sponsored Links
Mom is 48, Looks 32...
Her clever $5 wrinkle therapy angers Botox Doctors.
We reveal how.
More Celebrity News at Popeater.comZach Galifianakis Slams
Sean Penn, Ke$ha, LittleKids
Kim K. Hopes to Be
Pregnant 'by End of Year'
Alec Baldwin Eyeing Run
For Mayor Of New York
City: Report
Jennifer Love Hewitt:
Worst Actress In
Hollywood?
Emma Watson: Guys
Won't Date Me, I Wasn't
Bullied At Brown
Like 962
'Parks & Rec' Star
Campaigns For Oprah To
Join The Show
Like 3K
stark
un nuevo estudio determina que
Monsanto sabía desde 1980 que su
herbicida Roundup produce
defectos de nacimiento:
http://huff.to/llwsR3
charliemc1
Breaking Through Weight Loss
Plateaus http://bit.ly/klV7Kt
Guys Are
Intimidated By
Me,...Bond Girl In 'Bond... Hewitt: Worst
Actress Since
1985,...Calls Lady Gaga
'Male...
HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES
Movies
NY Around
Town
Video
Airlines
Iran
Elections 2012
Gulf Oil Spill
Healthy Living
Health News
Natural
Disasters Buy a link here www.IConsumerReports.com
1 Tip To Make $4000/Month
No Experience Required. Just Home Internet Access!
www.ConsumerFinanceReports.com
BlackBerry® PlayBook™
The Wait is Over. The BlackBerry PlayBook is Here.
Find Out More.
BlackBerry.com/PlayBook
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES »
ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
Advertise | Log In | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ
User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Contact Us
Copyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Part of HuffPost NewsFRONT
PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY STYLE WORLD FOOD HEALTHY
LIVINGIMPACT MORE LOCAL