TEHRAN – Actress and director Golab Adineh has finally been able to stage Alan Jay Lerner’s musical “My Fair Lady”, which now fascinates spectators in the main hall of Tehran’s City Theater Complex every evening.

His troupe, which is made up of more than 100 people, was due to perform the piece in the spring of 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel all of their performances.

The troupe premiered on November 11 after actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya unveiled a poster for the play.

In her brief speech before the performance, she said that one of the reasons she accepted Adineh’s invitation to attend the opening performance was her collaboration with Adineh in “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” which was staged in 1980 in the same room.

She also added: “The pandemic has caused a split among us for the past two years, so it is a blessing that such a large play brings us together again in this theater.”

Sparkling with wit, wisdom and wonderful songs, the musical piece is based on “Pygmalion” by Bernard Shaw, which has delighted audiences since its premiere in the 1950s.

When bossy professor Higgins bumps into a flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, in Covent Garden, he recognizes that her hideous vowels and forgotten consonants are all that separates her from the upper classes. Higgins is betting he can pass her off as a Duchess in a matter of weeks. But what will become of Eliza once the bet is over?

The Broadway musical’s production in 1956 was notable critical and popular success, winning six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

It set a record for the longest running of a Broadway musical until that point and was followed by a hit production in London.

Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews starred in both productions. A popular film version premiered in 1964, and many covers have followed.

Photo: Director Golab Adineh’s troupe perform Alan Jay Lerner’s musical “My Fair Lady” at the City Theater Complex in Tehran on November 11, 2021.

MMS / YAW