My Fair Lady, BYTES Royal Court Theatre, Bacup - Review courtesy of the Rossendale Free press

EXPERIENCE shone through in spite of being a very young cast and my two sons adored the musical. Neither had seen the film and so didn’t know what to expect, but they soon latched on to the catchy songs and I have had a weekend of Just You Wait, In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire not forgetting, of course, The Rain in Spain, which my five-year-old mimicked with grapes last Sunday!

It was a truly professional performance and shows what real and genuine talented youngsters there are in the Valley. Sophie Lord shone as Eliza and her strangulated vowels were spot on and really came out when she sang Just You Wait.

When Joe Disney, as Henry Higgins, narrated the song You Can’t Let a Woman it was excellent and I thought Colonel Pickering, Ben Elvidge, acted his role well.

Laurence Giltrow-Shaw lit up the stage as Albert Doolittle and Get Me To The Church was unforgettable.

For me the surprise star was Phillip Rowbottom, whose voice was amazing in On the Street Where You Live. I preferred his performance in My Fair Lady to his comedy role in last year’s panto.

The races scene had my sons in stitches and the dancers, stage design and orchestra all earned top marks. Like all the audience, I wanted more, as did my two boys. Ten years on, Bytes is stronger than ever.

Please support this very valuable theatre in any way you can.

Catherine Smyth 19th October 2007