‘My Fair Lady’
has an enduring quality

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

Christopher Cazenove, the well-heeled British actor probably best known for the U.K. miniseries The Duchess of Duke Street and ABC’s Dynasty, claims to be "just an ordinary man," and not the perfectionist he portrays as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
"In the beginning, I found this particular role very frightening for quite a long time, mainly because it’s so wordy," said Cazenove, who will be stopping here at the Academy of Music (March 11-16) as part of the show’s national tour.
Still, the 62-year-old Cazenove explained, he has wanted this role for quite some time because "it’s a wonderful, wonderful role for an actor my age. I can’t think of a greater part to play because Higgins is on a very intriguing journey, and he has some of the most wonderful musical numbers to do and wonderful words to say. It’s a part I’ve sort of lusted over for many years, and there aren’t many like that."
While growing up in the U.K., Cazenove’s ambition was to be a film actor, but he eventually turned to the stage. "I didn’t do any performing in school until my last year, and then, because I wanted to be an actor, I thought I’d better do something toward that end," he recalled. "And so I auditioned for a school play and got two small roles. I guess that sort of decided for me."
Looking to enter drama school, he managed to get into the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, a classical theater school where he soon came to realize that theater actually was what he wanted to pursue.
At that point he sort of discarded the idea of getting into movies, although that notion never really lost its appeal. In fact, Cazenove began his movie career in 1970 with a small part in Julius Caesar. Throughout the 1970s he perfected his screen persona, later appearing in such American films as Eye of the Needle and Three Men and a Little Lady, among others.
He did much stage work as well, including The Lionel Touch, My Darling Daisy, An Ideal Husband, Brief Encounter and Goodbye Fidel.
Cazenove also appeared in The Sound of Music — the only other musical he has done — besides taking on his current stint in My Fair Lady.
"And I’m absolutely loving this show," he emphasized. "It’s a Cinderella story. Add to that the marvelous book (Pygmalion) by George Bernard Shaw, the music of Lerner and Loewe, and you’ve basically got a masterpiece."
Indeed, more than 50 years after it burst on the scene, My Fair Lady is still among the top 15 longest-running Broadway musicals of all time. Winner of eight 1956 Tony awards, including best musical, the play opened in London in 1958, once again enjoying record-breaking numbers.
The 1964 film has become a beloved classic worldwide, winning eight Academy Awards — including best picture — that year.
For this production, Cazenove explained, cast members were given assignments to help authenticate the show.
"One was to research prostitution in the early 1900s," he said. "One was to look into the history of servants in wealthy British households. One was to find out all the actor could about what Americans call ‘garbage collections’ and we Brits call a ‘dustman.’ The goal was to make each character as real as possible."
As far as recreating the Rex Harrison role of Professor Higgins, Cazenove did all he could, at the same time being totally influenced and intimidated by his predecessor.
"I saw the original film and listened to all sorts of recordings. In my opinion, Rex did the role better than anybody, so in the beginning I started to base much of my role on his, although I think I’ve moved away now," Cazenove said. "Today, I think — I hope — I’ve made it more my very own role." ••
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