Carey The “Fair Lady”; Hugh, Too?
Emma Thompson, when she’s not walking a pig to premieres, is writing the screenplay for a new movie version of “My Fair Lady.” Carey “An Education” Mulligan is set to play Eliza. Emma says that Hugh Grant might play Higgins, but my ideal choice for Higgins would be the Hugh who used to date Emma back at Cambridge: Hugh “House” Laurie. “House” is a big hit around the world, so at this point Mr. Laurie’s fame factor is at least the equal of Mr. Grant’s.
Another of my less-than-popular opinions: Am I the only person who *loathes* MY FAIR LADY? It’s partly because it was shoved down my throat everywhere I went growing up in the 1950s. And I just don’t like Lerner and Loewe. Or Shaw. So there you have it.
I should probably elaborate a little on these opinions. First of all, in fairness I’ve heard everything Lerner and Loewe have written, several numbers many thousands of times, whether I wanted to or not, and how many Broadway musical composers could withstand that?
And I somehow took an entire course in GB Shaw in college, wherein we had to read WAY more Shaw than anyone should. Ever. Let alone in college, when there’s so very much else to do. I find Shaw unbearably imperious and supercilious and didactic (MAN & SUPERMAN). And sometimes just really stupid (MAJOR BARBARA). He was a very good–if very nasty–music critic, though his adoration of Wagner surpasses even my own. Anyway, I just thought I should flesh out my dislikes a bit so as not to sound like a snotty queen.