Caxton Theatre

Henry Higgins is a phonetics expert, who takes on the challenge of transforming Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, into a refined lady. The play is set in early 20th century London, a time when social hierarchies were rigid, and the English class system was deeply ingrained. 

 The setting of Pygmalion is crucial, reflecting the norms and expectations of the time. Shaw uses the characters and their interactions to critique the prevailing attitudes toward class distinctions and the limitations imposed by language and accent. The play engages with the broader social issues of the era, including the suffragette movement and the evolving roles of women in society. This production is set in the 1920s.

Shaw’s play challenges traditional notions of class and gender roles of the time, inviting audiences to reconsider the impact of language and social expectations on individual identity. Pygmalion remains relevant for its exploration of social issues that transcend its original time period. 

The play has inspired numerous adaptations, including the well-known musical My Fair Lady, which further emphasizes its enduring appeal and impact on popular culture.

Cast

Professor Henry Higgins (40 to 50) Higgins is a middle-aged bachelor who specializes in phonetics and who is an acclaimed authority on the subject of dialects, accents, and phonetics. 

Eliza Doolittle (20 to 30) She is an uneducated, uncouth "guttersnipe," the flower girl whom Higgins (for a dare) decides to mold into a duchess. She is probably twenty years younger than Higgins. 

Alfred Doolittle (40 to 60) Eliza's father, he is a dustman, who proudly believes in his position as a member of the "undeserving poor." 

Colonel Pickering (50 to 60) A distinguished retired officer and the author of Spoken Sanskrit. He has come to England to meet the famous Professor Henry Higgins. He is courteous and polite to Eliza, and he shares in Higgins' experiments in phonetics in teaching Eliza to speak as a duchess. 

Mrs. Higgins (60 plus) Henry Higgins' mother, who thoroughly loves her son but also thoroughly disapproves of his manners, his language, and his social behaviour. 

Mrs. Eynsford-Hill (40 plus) A lady of the upper-middle class who is in a rather impoverished condition but is still clinging to her gentility. 

Clara Eynsford-Hill (18 to 25) Her daughter; she tries to act the role of the modem, advanced young person. 

Freddy Eynsford-Hill (20 to 30) Her son; he is a pleasant young man who is enchanted by Eliza upon first meeting her. 

Mrs. Pearce (50 plus) Professor Higgins' housekeeper of long standing. She is the one who first sees the difficulty of what is to happen to Eliza after Higgins and Pickering have finished their experiment with her. 

Other Characters:   

Bystander/Parlour Maid, 

Sarcastic Bystander/Taxi Driver 

BYSTANDERS: (2) either gender and any age. Shaw seems to have had ten or twenty extras in mind; now just two “bystanders” speak their lines. 

DOUBLING The bystanders may be played by any two actors who do not appear in ACT 1