Celebrity Spotto At The ‘My Fair Lady’ Premiere

On Friday night I was lucky enough to attend the opening night of Opera Australia’s lavish new production of Lerner & Loewe’s wonderful My Fair Lady. Roger Kirk’s costumes are breathtaking (the Ascot sequence’s costumes and millinery, and Eliza’s ballgown both receiving as much if not more applause than the castmembers themselves) and it is a treat to have the musical really sung for a change (though we did appreciate Alan “Dr Karl” Fletcher’s efforts in the pro-am production of a few years back).

Reg Livermore is brilliant as Professor Higgins, Taryn Fiebig is a delightful Eliza, and the production features not one but two grand dames of Australian musical theatre, Judi Conelli and Nancye Hayes (both in fine form). It’s on until May 31st at Melbourne’s State Theatre and I highly recommend you beg, borrow or steal a kidney to get a ticket.

However, I know what you really want to know is who was there and wearing what, so hop over the jump for this special cultured edition of Defamer Australia celebrity spotto…* the inimitable Rhonda Burchmore, resplendent in embroidered black velvet with her daughter as her date, storming towards the cloak room as the “five minutes ’til we lock you all in a broom closet” bell sounded.

* I got very excited at one point when I thought I’d spotted Madge Bishop, aka Anne Charleston, but as she’s now based in the UK, I must’ve been dreaming – but whoever it was should be making a killing on the UK Neighbours impersonators circuit (which I’m sure exists).

* John Foreman, with an older lady who I assume was his mother, who asked him, “Did you bring the car around?”

* Ron Barassi WTF.

* Robert Doyle WTF.

* Popera singer Kane Alexander with a mystery (lady) date.

* A roving pack of Australian entertainment royalty that on occasion included Hayes, Livermore, Bert Newton, Val Jellay and many others. I would’ve been happy to touch the hems of their collective garments.