THEATRE REVIEW - Sunday Telegram - May 17, 1981

"My Fair Lady" Glows Freshly in Clinton

By Marilyn W. Spear -- With the masks of comedy and tragedy seeming to applaud from the top of the proscenium arch in the charming blue, gold and white auditorium of the Town Hall Friday and Saturday, the Clinton Arts Council more than justified its existence.  For on stage, under council sponsorship, was a rousing production of "My Fair Lady," which delighted and entertained the audience of several hundred viewers.

With the help of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and the dedication of actors, singers and musicians as well as hardworking stage crew, the Arts Council showed what can be done within a community to foster cultural activities. The Council must have felt rewarded with the audience's appreciation of the first-rate production.

Led by Paul Farrell as Professor Henry Higgins, Kevin O'Laughlin as his sidekick Col. Pickering, and above all, the charming Ann B. Kittredge as Eliza Doolittle, the large and exuberant cast performed well in the familiar story. Eliza is the Cockney flower girl whom Professor Higgins is determined to turn into a lady, with perfect speech and manners.  In his enthusiasm of accomplishment, he fails to notice Eliza's feelings.

The only real flaw of the evening was the cumbersome set pieces, which took considerable time to arrange between scenes, dragging out the performance and interrupting the flow of the show.  But the performers took it in stride, even when a door stuck closed. (Lisa Krantz as Mrs. Pearce merely led Eliza around the edge of the flat and the others smiled.)

When it came to music, the Clinton Community Theater takes a back seat to no one.  The chorus is part of the overture performance and its members kept up the musical atmosphere to the end. They overcame mediocre acoustics, a sometimes noisy audience and the vagaries of the set to hold "My Fair Lady" together.

"My Fair Lady" has a number of characters, all making demands on both the acting and singing ability of the performers. In addition to Farrell, who did a great job of being the officious upper-class academic, and Mrs. Kittredge, who deftly handled the variety of accents in speech and song, Ms. Krantz was a superbly starchy but compassionate housekeeper. O'Laughlin had more trouble being properly British, but the colonel's character is less defined anyway.

Joe Pasquale was somewhat subdued as Alfie Doolittle in the opening scenes but came back strongly in "Get Me to The Church on Time."  Danny Welch was a roguish playboy-suitor of Eliza and the pair was most entertaining in the pushing and shoving of "Show Me." Ms. Kittredge and Farrell made the "Rain in Spain" duet a humdinger.

The chorus and dance ensemble dressed in sharp black and white for the Ascot scene, brought out oohs and ahs from the viewers. They were equally well presented at the embassy ball, but the real costuming magic seemed to be with the cockneys and flower girls of Tottenham Court Road, which Eliza leaves and later makes a return visit. The cluster of servants who sang from various positions in the balcony and around TownHall, carrying candles, was also attractive.

In fact, the production of "My Fair Lady" should encourage the Clinton Community Theater to do more shows. It has the place, the sponsors and obviously the talent, and it has an appreciative audience. What more can any theatre want?

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