Were you to ask me whether or not I had ever seen a piece of theatre that had impressed me, naturally I would've said yes. A piece of theatre that had ever really got me thinking? Of course. A piece of theatre that had ever actually changed my life? Up until very recently, I would've had to say no. But now, I think I have. I know I have. Watching Bernard Shaw's 'Pygmalion' at the Royal Exchange theatre has changed the way I view the world, it's changed how I view myself. For the first time I have seen a piece of theatre that has managed to change me. I know! Deep or what?
'Pygmalion' is a play about Professor Henry Higgins (who was marvellously portrayed by Simon Robson! I actually cannot emphasise enough how perfect a performance his was!) trying to change Eliza Doolittle from flower girl to lady. From a 'common as muck' woman to somebody who could pass into the company of royalty without them batting an eyelid. And initially he relishes the task that was a bet from Colonel Pickering, looking upon it as quite an exiting academic task;
"You have no idea how frightfully interesting it is to take a human being and change her into a quite different human being..."
All he seems to be forgetting is the human element of it all. The emotions and feelings that seem to bypass him on his intellectual cloud. Reading the programme before the performance I found myself fully respecting Bernard Shaw's decision to make sure that there was never a romance in this play. Initially, after he directed it and set it off on tour, his actors took it upon themselves to alter the ending, to ensure a romance between Eliza and Higgins, and I can only imagine Shaw's anger. I know that had that been the way that it had ended I would've felt angry (perhaps not angry, but definitely let down). It would've ruined these wholly believable characters and made it feel like a play. Like a love story, and it isn't. It's so much better than that. It's about a friendship, and intellectual friendship, two minds equally as capable as the other learning from one another. One academic, and one human. Think of it as Holmes and Watson without the crimes or drugs. (Actually, Higgins is entirely Sherlock Holmes, which is probably why I love the character so much.)
I do entirely admire Henry Higgins, more so than I have any other character. Largely because he appears not to care at all about how society perceives him. He knows he is incredibly brilliant at what he does, and that he is of a much greater intelligence than most of the people he is surrounded by. He doesn't use this to belittle them, if they wish to learn he will teach them, but he doesn't want his time wasted. I envy his outlook on the world, and the following bit of text is the one that changed my life.
(I am typing this entirely from memory, so I apologise if this isn't exactly word for word).
"Eliza: That's the difference between you and Colonel Pickering. He treats everyone, be they flower girl or lady, as though they were a lady.
Higgins: Yes, and I treat everyone as though they were a flower girl."
'What's so good about that?' I hear you cry. (Naturally I don't hear you cry that, not unless you are hiding in my room, which would concern my greatly.... I don't think I'm ready for a stalker at this moment in time. It's not me, it's you.) It's the philosophy behind it. I think it's something I've always wanted to be able to do, but never had the courage. to be able to treat everyone equally, and not rudely, but not to give people respect they don't deserve (I find it hard to word this, which is why I like the quote so much, it embodies everything I want to be). And really, I've always loved the characters that can do this, from Hamlet to Holmes, all the way up to the Doctor.
And I found myself suddenly sitting up straight in the theatre and realising, I wanted that to be me. Not a linguistic genius with a penchant for accents, but somebody who was brilliant at what they do. Who became excited by wanting to learn more, and somebody who viewed all equally. Not scared to be who they are, confident in what they can achieve, able to be objective about their work, and who will not treat people differently because they should, because they're higher in the hierarchy, be it social or otherwise.
This is it, this is my new motto, my mantra, my way of seeing the world. Everybody out there is a flower girl, and I have so much more to discover that I find myself excited by theatre in a way I never have been before.
It's more than just thrilling, fun and thought provoking; it's life changing.
