My Fair Lady (Broadway)

See it if you love lavish revivals. Lush costumes/sets; great songs (esply the score) and clever book (GBS!). Gr orchestra, good pace. Highly polished

Don't see it if you demand emotional engagement. MFL lacks spark. Fault Ambrose and/or Sherr. HH's misogyny hard to take. Act I outshines Act II. Forced fun

See it if You want to see a beautifully staged, sung and acted “old fashioned” musical that has been directed with a real sense of today’s values.

Don't see it if I can’t imagine any reason not to see this show unless you just don’t want to see a musical.

See it if Lush sets and orchestrations don’t help this otherwise flat show. Norbert is the stand out for sure. The sound was so muted.

Don't see it if You don’t like revivals of classics. Or the only seats you can get are on the sides.

See it if Lovely composition of actors, staging & orchestra. Convincing interpretations of Higgins & Eliza. Beautiful presentation w/lots of feeling.

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy revivals where you know the story, characters & music well. There are just a few modern updates. I liked the new ending.

See it if you want to see a near-perfect revival of a near-perfect musical of a near-perfect play (& to discover the hidden talents of Lauren Ambrose)

Don't see it if you have nothing but disdain for classic musical theatre, no matter how brilliantly it's reimagined, staged & cast; you like to kick puppies

See it if In a word, incandescent New Benanti/Burstein combo worth the wait w/ Hadden-Paton & co still top-notch Sher's light touch modern yet classic

Don't see it if Production design flawless w/Holder's lighting topping kudos Only snag is the grotesque, ghastly staging of "Get Me to the Church..." number

See it if you love classic musicals, enjoy sumptuous costumes, fan of Norbert Leo Butts & Diana Rigg, large orchestra, great dances

Don't see it if not a fan of lavish musicals, don't like subtle but significant changes to traditional ending, expect more involving main characters

See it if Familiar Pygmalion turned lyrical. Ambrose's voice is untested, but her charisma shines through. Great direction and use of cavernous LCT.

Don't see it if Truly modern 3-hr update of a classic that stays true to the original book and thoughtful hat-tip to the feminists in the house. Whew!

See it if you love old-fashioned musicals more than you dislike problematic misogynist content.

Don't see it if you dislike problematic misogynist content more than you love old-fashioned musicals.

See it if You like/love classic musicals with beautiful costumes and stage and great music score

Don't see it if If you do not like musicals.

Also Great thing about this theater is you can see great from any seat. I was high up. The only problem sometime was with the accents of some of the actors talking I cannot understand all they were saying.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy the film. The dialogue & incredible sets are reminiscent of the film. The changes made & new interpretations are fresh & welcome.

Don't see it if you don’t enjoy classic, sweeping musicals.

Also I’ve waited for a Broadway revival of this show for years, as the film is one of my favorites. I admittedly had my doubts when I saw the casting, but was I pleasantly surprised! I used to think that only Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, & Audrey Hepburn were capable of pulling off their parts, but Ambrose and Hadden-Paton proved me wrong (and with an exclamation point!). Ambrose has a beautiful and powerful voice, and her interpretation of her character is thoughtful and welcome. The wonderful sets and costumes are detailed and vivid, and the chorus and orchestra are perfect. Butz and the chorus performing “Get Me to the Church on Time” is arguably the show-stopping number of the entire season. There’s even a fresh element that addresses some of the #MeToo concerns some had about reviving such a dusty, misogynistic show. The change is perfectly directed, making a statement without compromising the integrity of Lerner & Loewe’s original vision. An incredible production from start to finish.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a Golden Age musical in a breathtaking, classic production with a wonderful cast.

Don't see it if You dislike dated musicals, especially ones that last three hours and have more dialogue than music.

See it if you enjoy a musical with memorable melodies, lyrics and a wonderful story.Excellent cast and beautifully staged at Lincoln Center.

Don't see it if you do not like old fashioned musicals.Although this one stands up very well to the present with very strong characters and clever lyrics.

Also I would have given this show even a higher score but I was disappointed in the ending, too predictable in current times. However you should see this show with some of the wittiest lyrics and wonderful melodies in musical history. The staging was exceptional.... Read more Read less

See it if you love grand & beautiful Bdwy musicals, staging, costumes & orchestrations. This is a wonderful revival with a few interesting changes.

Don't see it if you don't like smiling for 3 hours while mouthing the words to songs & admiring the talent. Cast is great though Ambrose not my favorite,

Also This is an uplifting musical with music that sticks to your ribs. Many of the newer musicals have forgettable lyrics and music. The acting is excellent including Ambrose who plays her role with a lot of heart. Where she falls short is her singing which sometimes feels labored. I don't know if it's her style or a true problem, but she is often off beat rhythmically - especially in the beginning of songs.

Just saw this for a second time. Harry Hadden-Paton has grown so much in his role, he now owns it. The addition of Benanti raises the bar and makes a world of difference in the enjoyment of this play. The replacement of Norbert Leo Butts with anyone else is just a shame.... Read more Read less

See it if Love the score & want 2 see a thoughtful production. Intriguing directorial choices & graceful staging/set changes. I was enchanted.

Don't see it if Higgins not a likable character & any portrayal of him can be grating. There are dated beliefs embedded in the story which may concern you.

See it if You love musicals performed to perfection. Stellar cast, costumes, choreography, timeless songs, high energy, Norbert Leo Butz as the father

Don't see it if You dislike old musicals and expect Evan Hansen. Are not a traditionalist.

See it if You enjoy My Fair Lady and want to see a very good version of it. Great singing, incredibly staging.

Don't see it if You don't like uneven acting or super high pitched voices. While over all a very fun evening out, some of the voices were exhausting.

See it if You love great musicals

Don't see it if Your looking for something sad

See it if overjoyed by revivals that get the hard stuff right. Keep what works, blow past the fallbacks that don’t, make the case for 1 of the greats.

Don't see it if you expect Pygmalion (hard-line social criticism). This is soft focus lens beautiful but as compelling & assured. Not fluff.

Also Gorgeous without being merely decorative. This cast! Ambrose, Haddon-Patton, Donica, the entire ensemble sounds incredible. Not just a showcase for belting and runs, but expressions of character and story. Even the parts that aren’t sung still feel like music. I didn't agree w/ some production elements, and I didn’t buy into some of the tweaked characterizations at first (not enough guttersnipe); but ultimately, it completely swept me away. I never use the “Enchanting” tag but the total effect of this show—the music, these voices, this book—is irresistible. Must see again.

I had read about the ending of this production beforehand, yet it was still surprising. (Still, avoid spoilers if possible.) Keep eyes on both actors for the full impact. I was so focused on Eliza I almost missed Higgins—which would have been such a loss. I thought it was an amazing closing scene. A masterstroke of interpretation, direction, and acting. Really felt like love.... Read more Read less

See it if you'll enjoy a faithful revival with few surprises, lovely staging and costumes, beautiful orchestrations, solid performances.

Don't see it if you're looking for innovation or have a problem with the inherent misogyny of the piece.

Also Lauren Ambrose's voice wasn't as strong as the rest of the leads, and her tempo lagged. Her acting was lovely, and she and Harry Hadden-Paton had good chemistry. Diana Rigg and Norbert Leo Butz both had great stage presence. Warning: the seats in the lower rows next to ramps that lead down and offstage are partial view and should be sold as such.... Read more Read less

See it if A wonderful update of a classic! Loved everything about it. Making Higgins and Eliza the same age was a bold stroke - one of many.

Don't see it if If you’re insistent on this show being done the way it always has been, you might not like it. Ambrose, while great, is no Julie Andrews.

Also Had to re-review this, because I just saw it again with the new cast, which should have been the original cast. I liked Ambrose, but Benanti outdid her in every way, raising the level of everyone, even the holdovers. It was a different, better show, in every way. Burstein was better and more charming than Butz, and with apologies to Diana Rigg, Rosemary Harris was a far better Mrs. Higgins. When she said, at the end, “Do without, I suppose,” it had the scolding quality but added a sympathy that Rigg did not show. I felt truly heartbroken for Henry. The show now has the heart it was lacking before. Ambrose, while interesting, had a brittle edge that kept the audience from loving her, and lacked the vocal chops that the role requires. Benanti had the smarts, and the sweet and gentle heart of Eliza. Hearing her effortlessly and powerfully hit the high notes on “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Show Me” made for a much more satisfying experience. She was divine.... Read more Read less

See it if WOW

Don't see it if you don't like WOW

See it if you love musical theater. This is a great revival of a great show. The music is lovely & the lyrics perfectly capture Shaw's writing.

Don't see it if you really don't care for musical theater, though this one might just change your mind.

Also This is the 2nd time I have seen this production. I saw the original cast & loved it (95 rating). Saw it again with Laura Benanti & a few other new cast members. Even better now. She is a phenomenal performer. Can do it all & do it perfectly. Absolutely loverly!... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy good musicals. Laura Benanti is wonderful.

Don't see it if you don't like musicals or are too emotionally attached to the Rex Harrison/ Audrey Hepburn film version.

See it if wonderful revival of a classic with great Lerner & Loewe music that you may hum long after it is over; bright costumes & clever set design

Don't see it if you don't like musicals especially those that run nearly 3 hours; don't want a slightly stronger Eliza

Also Harry Hadden-Paton was a wonderful Higgins. His voice was amazing as was Lauren Ambrose's. Jordan Donica did a great job with "On the Street Where You Live."
Norbert Leo Butz was really funny as the father. All of the supporting cast was excellent.
Lauren Ambrose will be replaced by Laura Benanti in Oct. I saw Diana Rigg (amazing) as Mrs. Higgins but Rosemary Harris will take over for her now.... Read more Read less