BlackBox Theatre Company 
Furzey Gardens, Minstead, Lyndhurst
Anne Waggott 
26 July 2024
My first experience of BlackBox Theatre Company was way back in 2016, watching Chris Hawley’s hilarious adaptation of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps. Revised to be a radio play, where most of the cast and crew were stuck in the snow, and the ‘live radio production’ was performed by one actor, the caretaker and the tea-lady, it was a side-splittingly funny production. Although I had to check my records for the date, I still have vivid memories of that glorious performance.
So I was delighted to be invited to review Hawley’s latest adaptation, that of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, currently being performed in an open air production at Furzey Gardens, Minstead, and eagerly took my seat for an evening of wonderful theatre. With the bonus of a beautifully balmy summer evening and a picturesque spot, I wasn’t disappointed!
Pygmalion is the story of Eliza Doolittle, a poor Covent Garden flower seller, who is plucked off the streets by phonetics teacher, Professor Henry Higgins, who makes a bet that he can educate Eliza to the level where he can pass her off as a duchess. Whatever your feelings about the Pygmalion effect may be, this is a brilliant rendition of Shaw’s classic play.
There have been numerous adaptions over the years on stage, film and TV (arguably most famously the stage musical and film version, My Fair Lady). For the uninitiated, Pygmalion was initially inspired by Greek mythology, where Pygmalion fell in love with one of his sculptures, which then came to life (Mannequin, anyone? Yet another adaptation!), as well as a collection of British phonetics professors, one or two with questionable personalities!
Hawley’s version enjoys modifications perhaps enforced by the small cast (a highly efficient and entertaining quartet of very talented actors), as much as by Hawley’s vision. Characters have been merged to create new ones, half of the actors take on multiple roles, and I’m certain I recognised more song lyrics among the dialogue than I have noticed before – but the changes are skilfully incorporated to great effect.
The role of Mrs Pearce (Higgin’s housekeeper) is expanded and amalgamated with that of Higgin’s crony, Captain Pickering (not seen in BlackBox Theatre’s production, although referenced in passing), and is vividly brought to life by Francesca McCrohon. With distinctive characters of Mrs Pearce, and the very different mothers of both Higgins and Eliza, McCrohon is a very diverse and multitalented character actor!
With the inversion of a country cottage location for this performance instead of the London setting of Pygmalion, BlackBox Theatre have reversed the more common black box scenery with a white canvas, white minimal furniture and minimal array of 1920s props and costumes; one of Hawley’s modifications is to set his production in 1924, rather than the original early 1900s. The scene changes are an integral part of the production, accompanied by glorious music from the 1920s, and deftly performed by Celia Jones, with physicality and facial expressions that mean she really doesn’t need to say any more than “Yes’m”! With her other alter egos of Mrs Higgins’ maid and Higgins’ nemesis, Dickie (Higgins’ first pupil, who aspired to be a phonetics expert himself), Jones has a delightful array of characters under her belt.
Of course, Pygmalion centres around Eliza and Higgins, so it is only right and proper that Scarlett Briant and David McCulloch focus their performances solely on their alter egos. As they were the tea lady and caretaker in the staged radio production of The 39 Steps, I know how adept they are at assorted comical characters. Here, they are both able to develop their individual characters with aplomb, especially Briant with Eliza’s evolution from common flower girl to aspiring lady. She is no shrinking violet, but stands up to Higgins’ boorish, coercive, arrogant rantings with strength, determination and dignity. I thoroughly enjoyed both their performances.
“I don’t like it”, says Mrs Doolittle, frequently. Well, I loved it – emphatically!
I was devasted to read in the programme that BlackBox Theatre Company’s future is so uncertain (due to lack of funding), as they absolutely live up to their desire to be “one of the South’s leading touring companies” and I fervently hope that their future can be assured.
Catch the last performance of Pygmalion at Furzey Gardens tonight if you can (Saturday 27 July 2024, performance 7:30pm, gates open at 6:00pm for picnics), although be warned – you may have to hurry to get the last few tickets, before it goes on tour. I promise you a most enjoyable evening of the highest quality – if you’re going, remember to take your chair!
