Позакласний захід "My fair lady"

“My fair lady”

Actors:

Presenter 1

Presenter 2

Eliza

Mr Doolitle

Georgina, sister

Mr Higgins

Miss Pickering

The headmistress

Mrs Red

Girl 1

Girl 2

Mrs Baddington

Katrin

Mr Brown

Actors, singers

Presenter 1. Good afternoon , dear ladies and gentlemen! We are glad to see you on our performance.

Presenter 2. Some words about the author of the play.

Presenter 1 George Bernard Shaw was born on July 26, 1856, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1876 he moved to London, where he wrote regularly but struggled financially.

Presenter 2. In 1895, he became a theatre critic for the Saturday Review and began writing plays of his own. His play Pygmalion was later made into a film twice.

Presenter 1.He did not like George in his name and just liked using Bernard Shaw. During his lifetime, he wrote more than 60 plays and won many awards. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 and an Oscar in 1938 (Pygmalion). He is the only person to receive both awards.

Presenter 2.We would like to show you an adapted play inspired by his “Pygmalion’ and a  film” My fair lady”. Enjoy the performance!

Act 1: A bet

Eliza is standing on a street corner trying to sell flowers. But she is being watched by two people. She notices them out of the corner of her eye. Various people are going to and from.

Eliza: Flowers for sale! Lot’s a lovely flowers. (Speaking to a potential customer) Ya like ta buy some flowers, eh? Real good, they are fresh and nice for the ladies. (And to another customer). Special price just for taday.

Higgins and Pickering pass by.

Eliza: Sir? Madam? Flowers for ya?

Higgins: Did you hear that, Miss Pickering? Truly wonderful.

Miss Pickering: Yes, indeed, quite remarkable.

Eliza: Ya talkin’ to me, sir?

Higgins: Madam, it is only possible to have a conversation with one who  speaks the Queen’s English. Simply admiring your vulgarity.

Eliza: My vag-ar-aty? What ya mean, sir? I’m a good girl I am. I want to work in the dress shop. Flowers for sale. Get your flowers! Best price in London.

Eliza freezes in the motion of offering a flower. Higgins and Pickering  speak about her.

Pickering: Professor, I think we should leave the girl .

Higgins: Leave her there. Certainly not, Pickering. And she will be the object of my study. She will study at my school for young ladies. Here’s the bet:  I can turn her into a young lady with sophisticated manners. I will present her at the Duchess Katrin’s ball in April.

Pickering: I believe you are mad, sir. But the bet is on.

They shake hands on it.

Higgins: 500 pounds and not a cent less. (Eliza unfreezes) Now, miss, what’s your name?

Eliza: Eliza Doolitle it is, since the day I is born.

Higgins: Was born. Was born! Subject and verb must agree.

Eliza:. You both makin’ fun of me. I can’t speak  like you...

Higgins: Oh, stop the babble and take this. (He gives her his card) Join me at Wimpole Street tomorrow at 10 AM sharp. Did you hear me girl? Do this and you can change your life forever.

Act 2

Presenter 1. Mister Higgin’s School for Young Ladies is a private boarding school

Presenter 2. It  equips girls and young women with the social graces, etiquette knowledge, and all-important life skills that will enable them to feel confident in all situations in which they find themselves.

Presenter 1.The headmistress of this school is Dana Rose, a good friend of Mr Higgins.

At school, lesson 1

The headmistress. Young ladies,  welcome to our school. I am a headmistress of this school and I like discipline. If you want to change , follow the rules. These are your teachers. Mr Higgins will help you in the art of speech and grammar and Mrs Red  is responsible for your manners and style. We change the outside, my dears, and then we change the inside. So, go to your first lesson.

Girls together. Yes, madam.

Girl 1:  It’s for our own good. She wants to make a lady of us. Just think what this will enable you to do. I dream about my own restaurant.

Girl 2. I dream about good education and a high –paid job. I want to be independent and successful.

Eliza: I could work in a dress shop. Earn myself a pretty penny. Oh, ‘ow lovely that would be. Me own boss.

Higgins:. This is an experiment and we begin our first lesson right now. (Trying to be coldly humorous) Now, let me warn you. If you're good and do whatever you're told, you will sleep in a cozy bedroom, and have lots to eat, and money to buy chocolates and take rides in taxis. If you're naughty and idle you will sleep in the back kitchen among the black beetles and with a broomstick . At the end of six months you shall go to Duchess Katrin’s ball ,beautifully dressed. If she finds out you're not a lady, you will be taken by the police.

Mrs Red: Oh, Higgins, really. You are a silly old joker.  Never mind him. He has this strange sense of humour that only I can appreciate.  Now, girls , out here where I can see you. Stand up straight! Head up. Back straight. Don’t stand like an ape, even though you might be related to one. You must have the poise of a lady. Walk for me.  No, not like that! You walk like a duck. Let me show you.

She demonstrates how a lady should walk. Girls then successfully do it.

Higgins: Enough. Phonetics. We need to teach you to speak like ladies. Do not move your shoulders. Now, let’s begin. Try this: “The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain”. And stand up straight. Chest out. Head up. Breath.

Girl 1: Thee reen in Spyyn faaals meeely in the pleeen.

Higgins: Again. Watch your vowel sounds.

Girl 2: The rean in Speen falls mainnnly in the plaaain.

Higgins: Better…I think. We have the whole day. Again. Remember, it takes years, and I mean years, to be a lady. Ask Mrs Red here.

Mrs Red: Oh, yes indeed. Years.

Act 3: Meeting with father

There is a knock at the door. Mrs Baddington exits to get it. She returns quickly.

Mrs Baddington: There is a…gentleman…a man here to see you, headmistress...and a young woman.

Headmistress: Who are they?

Mrs Baddington: I believe that it is…the father of our Eliza…and her…older sister.

Headmistress: Really? How interesting.

Mr Patrick Doolittle and Georgina Doolittle enter and Patrick gives a slight bow to Dana, who motions him to sit.

Headmistress: You are welcome to join us: You are Eliza’s father? And you’re her sister?

Georgina: You can call me Georgina.

Doolittle: That be right. And I’m a poor old dustman I am. Poor as a church mouse.   It’s very kind of you to have me girl stayin’ here. If you want the girl, I'm not so set on having her back home agin, but what I might be open to is an arrangement.

Georgina: She’s our flesh ‘n blood, father. She's a fine handsome girl, isn’t she. Very fine indeed. I’m sure you’ve noticed.

Headmistress: I think you ought to know, Mr Doolittle, that Professor Higgins's intentions are entirely honourable.

Georgina: I bet.

Mrs Baddington: The very thought. Shame on you, Mr Doolittle.

Doolittle: I have me rights as her father. There’s no shame in that.

Georgina: We should go, Pa, and take Eliza with us.

Headmistress. If she wants, she can go.

Just at that moment Eliza enters . Doolittle does not recognise her

Eliza: (In very proper English) May I speak with Professor Higgins.

Doolittle: Oh, excuse me, madam.

Eliza: (She stares for a while realising it is her father) Father? Georgina?

Doolittle: Eliza? What ya doing in that get up? Just had a nice chat with this madam.

Eliza: What ya doin’ here? (She looks around and realises what is going on) Oh, I see. Ya kicked me out ya did. ‘ad to go on the street sellin’ bleedin’ flowers. Bahhhh!

Headmistress: Eliza, your language!

Eliza.I don’t want to come back.(She storms out of the room)

Presenter 1.Well…well…well. How easily she fell back into bad old ways. All that training meant nothing when it came to facing who she really is,

Presenter 2: There is a lot more of the story to be told yet. It is only just beginning. Anyway, who wouldn’t flip out with a father like Doolittle. Come on and let’s set up the other scene.

Act 4: Eliza speaks her mind

Eliza is sitting on a street corner with Mrs Baddington. They are chatting.

Eliza: I was trying to make it on my own and that man appears. For what?

Mrs Baddington: For money, I think?

Eliza: For whatever pennies he can get to drink another day at the pub. He’s my father but that’s all. I’ve gotta chance with this Higgins.

Mrs Baddington: Professor Higgins is a strange man, Eliza. Why he’s picked you I don’t know. But don’t worry my darling, nothing is going to happen to you while I’m around.

Eliza: Feel like screamin’ at times. All too hard: all these voice exercises and manners. But I wanna be a lady. Don’t want to end up like my father. My own lady. Get off the street and be somebody.

Mrs Baddington: I don’t think Professor Higgins cares about that. There’s something else going on here I’m sure of it. I’ve heard Miss Pickering and Professor Higgins whispering.

Eliza: I’m going to succeed, Mrs Baddington.

Act 5: The final test and  ball

As the lights come up, we are at the  ball. A Strauss waltz is playing and everyone is dancing, including Eliza. All the young men want to dance with Eliza.

Pickering: You are quite the lady, Eliza. You dance very well.

Higgins: Duchess, actually, Miss Pickering.

Katrin. And who is this lovely young woman? She dances so nice.

Higgins: It is Eliza Doolittle.

Eliza: Thank you for your kind and generous comments, Madame. It is a great pleasure to be at this fine ball and in the presence of so distinguished  company.

Katrin.It has been a pleasure to meet you . What a pretty and well bred girl. Take care of her, Higgins.

John ,Higgins great rival in phonetics comes towards them

Higgins: Well now, it is a great pleasure to see you, Mr Brown. How is your…research?

John: Been in France examining regional differences in French dialects. And I’m still the only man to ever outdo you, Higgins.

Higgins: Match me, yes. Outdo me, no.

John: Still full of your self importance, Ernest. Nothing’s changes. And this young lady?

Higgins: A dear cousin of my friend here, Pickering. I think you have met Pickering.

John: Indeed. And what interest do you have in Professor Higgins?

Eliza: He is a man of  rare intellect. I came to learn from him.

John: Oh yes. You didn’t tell me about this one, Higgins.

Higgins: One of my great successes, John.

John: Really. And what have you learnt from Professor Higgins?

Eliza: About the power of language. I have learnt about the ability of speech to change the way that we are regarded by others. Language makes us what we are.

John: I see. (There is a delay as he thinks) Higgins, you are a sly dog. You thought you could fool me but I’ve outwitted you again. She is no one’s cousin.: She is really a duchess. Her English is just too good for an English woman. Her vowel sounds are next to perfection. It is all so clear. You could have fooled nobody but me.

Higgins: Indeed remarkable. Isn’t that so, Pickering.

Pickering: Why…yes. Yes. You won, Mr Higgins

Act 6 : The bet is won and Eliza leaves

We are back in Higgin’s study. Pickering is with him,. Eliza goes to enter but stops, listening to their conversation.

Pickering:  Well, you won my dear Higgins. A magnificent victory. You've proved your point.

Higgins: Yes. I have enjoyed both my success and the fact of Eliza’s new situation is of no importance to me. I have done what I said I would do.

Pickering: I agree. A triumph. You have done what you said you would do and more. (She opens her bag and takes out the money) So, here is your 500 pounds. You made her a duchess. Enjoy it. Forget about Eliza. She was nothing but a mannequin, anyway.

Higgins: It’s not quite like that.

Eliza now enters the room fully.

Eliza: Yes it is. I understand. I understand what you were doing now. A cheap bet. A cheap trick. I was just a specimen for you. A talking point at one of your dinner parties.

Higgins: Eliza, let me....

Eliza:  Answer me. Answer me!

Higgins: Well...yes.

Eliza: Thank you.

Act 7: Eliza. The new woman. Higgins. The new man.

Eliza is working sewing a dress. Behind her a sign says, “Doolittle’s Dress Shop”. Sitting with Georgina.

Eliza: Georgie, you were wrong about Higgins. Despite himself, he has given me a gift.

Georgina: But you didn't need his language. It's oppression, Eliza.

Eliza: Maybe. But the gift he gave me is to believe that I have the power within me to create my future. Isn't that what all women need?

Higgins comes into her dress shop with Pickering.

Eliza: May I help you...sir.

Higgins: It’s Ernest, Eliza. And you know Miss Pickering. She is soon to become Mrs Higgins. Miss Georgina. (He moves over to her) The years have treated you kindly, Eliza.

Eliza: And you...Ernest.

Higgins: I'm still convinced that language is the most powerful tool of a man (or should I say a woman).

Eliza: I was changed but I didn't change. But thank you for your lesson. Good luck. Wish you a very happy wedding life!

Epilogue

Presenter 1:  Eliza's story in a nutshell. Flower girl to duchess, duchess to dress shop owner. A self-made woman.

Presenter 2.Better than staying with Higgins. She made her own choice. She was lucky.

Presenter 1.Wait.  I have one last question for you.

Presenter 2.You always have one last question. Okay, what is it?.

Presenter 1. What would have happened to Eliza if she hadn't met Higgins?

Presenter2 Now, that is a question only the audience can answer.

Songs:

Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line ~ Meant To Be ~

Clean Bandit - Symphony (Lyrics) feat. Zara Larsson