My Fair Lady - London Coliseum / UK & Ireland Tour

I know it's way up in the balcony but Today Tix have just released £25 tickets as part of London Theatre Week. So bargains to be had if you are on a budget.

All this talk of casting do’s and don’ts - I do hope the producers and director approach the casting of a black woman to play Eliza properly. I think she’s a brilliant choice, but there is an awkward undertone in the idea of middle aged white men teaching a black girl to better herself and fit with their “norms” which isn’t there otherwise. Especially in today’s climate.

I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done. Quite the opposite. In fact, I think it can add an extra depth to her journey if it’s embraced and treated sensitively in rehearsals, and I personally hope it’s a situation where it’s used as a choice and worked into her interpretation rather than simply treated as “colourblind” casting like we see in productions such as Les Mis - e.g. Cast a black man to play Alfred too, and enhance the traditional underlying society unfairness/status that would create in the period. It could be very strong.

There should be a black Alfred, and other black performers in the cast so I think if they continue the diverse casting- they won’t need to do anything special in rehearsals. Just deliver the show as written. If Amara is the only black person in the whole cast- that’s deeply problematic, but that just won’t happen.

Plus she’s been cast on merit. She’s a star and I hope this propels her.

Confirmed to have a 35-piece orchestra!

Alex Parker tweeted about it, I think he's the MD

Decent sized orchestra and Gareth Valentine as MD makes this unmissable for me! And as a bonus, it will be my first ever trip to the Coliseum (had ticket for Sunset but circumstances meant I missed it)…

I don't have a programme handy, but didn't Jae Alexander conduct the 2001 production?

The 2001 production had orchestrations by William David Brohn - I quite liked the changes, even the Stomp knock off section in “With a little bit of luck”.

Jae Alexander was MD for the Donmar Guys and Dolls a few years later.

Brilliant idea!

Go and take a good, long, hard look at yourself in the mirror and think about the drivel you have just written. It's not the same as a white actor playing a black role in the slightest.

My Fair Lady is not historical fact. The actors are not playing real people. The ethnicity of the characters don't matter in the slightest.

There can and there has been a black Javert (Norm Lewis says hello), there can and there will be a black Eliza and plenty of people will be supporting the fact that her talent has got her the starring role she deserves.

Take your narrow-minded views elsewhere please.

I know there have been black performers play Javert! But it’s not accurate. A black person would never have been in that position of power.

Can someone just tell me why it’s different to a white person playing a black role?! I am not narrow-minded. It was my husband - who is black - who thinks this casting is ridiculous. He actually finds it deeply embarrassing.

It's a musical, not a documentary. They're not claiming to tell a historically accurate version of the June Rebellion - they'd be doing a terrible job on plot alone if they were. We've had actors of colour play most if not all of the main characters in Les Mis (I'm struggling to think of a Marius?), and at no point did I get taken out of the show and think it was 'ridiculous'. Those I've seen have been excellent.