Last weeks’ run of ‘My Fair Lady’ received rave reviews and tickets were at a premium as the exceptional cast and orchestra wow-ed audiences each and every night.

‘My Fair Lady’ is based on Gabrial Pascal’s motion picture ‘Pygmalion’ and tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from Professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she may pass as a lady.

The large production was blessed with an overall cast of 100+ with the principal cast made up of

Eliza Doolittle – Lily Hutt                                             Professor Higgins – Jack Eyles
Alfred Doolittle – Tom Hayward                                 Colonel Pickering & Zoltan Carpathy – Jack Robinson & Kiean Bernard
Mrs Higgins – Laura Baker                                          Freddie Eynsford-Hill & Jamie – Matt Sykes & Louis Caldwell
Mrs Pearce – Molly Jowett                                          Mrs Eynesford-Hill & Mrs Hopkins – Lauren Orgill +& Lily-Mae Shenton
The Selsey Man – Cygnus Mynett                              The Hoxton Man & Footman – Jamie Richards
Harry – Harry Dean                                                     George the Bartender – Niall Preston
Queen of Transylvania – Mia Yeomans

There was plenty of praise from those that made up the audiences on each of the nights but written commendations have also come in via email, Facebook and Twitter:

  •  “I just wanted to write to offer you, your staff and all the students a heart-felt well done for the wonderful performance of ” My Fair Lady.” It was a truly marvellous occasion in which the youth really showed off their great talents.”
  •  “Huge congratulations to all @friaryschool for a brilliant production of My Fair Lady. Great talent from the incredible singing , acting and dancing to the fabulous performance from the school music department. Bravo.”
  •  “Watched on opening night, absolutely loved it, a stellar performance… all the performers (and backstage too) deserve the highest praise for delivering such a great show. Super talented kids you’ve got there.”
  •  “Congratulations to all cast, band, staff and crew for a fantastic production of My Fair Lady. Great performances of imaginative staging and choreography. I am a very proud mum.”
  •  Congratulations & huge thanks to everyone involved in the fantastic production of My Fair Lady @friaryschool. A very well deserved standing ovation last night. My daughter loved being part of it & can’t wait for the next one.”
  •  “Thoroughly enjoyed last night’s performance: not sure many schools could have bettered it.”

The final performance was a bittersweet moment for many of the cast who are in their final year of Sixth Form and knew this was their last ever school performance. It was easy to think back to them being members of the chorus before growing into the leading roles that await so many of the younger ‘My Fair Lady’ cast in the years ahead.

Matt Allman, Headteacher, said: “There are so many people who pull together to bring such a fantastic show; staff giving up weekends and evenings, parents on a regular taxi-run, the PTA organising refreshments, and not least the students who deliver every time. We are incredibly proud of the cast and look forward to the Key Stage Three Show later this school year.”