Pygmalion


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.6 stars; 186 reviews)

Pygmalion (1913) is a play by George Bernard Shaw based on the Greek myth of the same name. It tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics (based on phonetician Henry Sweet), who makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can successfully pass off a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, as a refined society lady by teaching her how to speak with an upper class accent and training her in etiquette. In the process, Higgins and Doolittle grow close, but she ultimately rejects his domineering ways and declares she will marry Freddy Eynsford-Hill – a young, poor, gentleman. - The play was later the basis for the successful movie adaptation "My Fair Lady" with Audrey Hepburn as Eliza and Rex Harrison as Prof. Higgins. (Summary by Wikipedia/Gesine)

Cast list:
Narrator – Kirsten Ferreri & Mary Anderson
The Daughter / Miss Clara Eynsford Hill – Susie G.
The Mother / Mrs Eynsford Hill – Gesine
A Bystander – Peter Yearsley
Freddy Eynsford Hill – ianish
The Flower Girl / Liza Doolittle – Kristin Hughes
A Gentleman / Captain Pickering – Martin Clifton
The Note Taker / Professor Henry Higgins – Alex Foster
A Sarcastic Bystander – Peter Yearsley
Mrs Pearce – Christiane Levesque
Alfred Doolittle – David Barnes
Mrs Higgins – Larysa Jaworski
Parlour-Maid – Linda Wilcox

Director/File editor – David Lawrence

(2 hr 54 min)

Chapters

Introduction 10:16 Read by Kirsten Ferreri
Act I 15:03 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act II 43:50 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act III 23:10 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act IV 13:59 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act V 38:06 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Conclusion 29:39 Read by Kirsten Ferreri

Reviews

I loved this play


(5 stars)

The actors were perfect and their accents and voices helped a lot.

Very good


(4 stars)

I almost always think of the multi-reader play productions on Libri that they are probably fun to do, but not to listen to, but this one is an exception. Quite delightful. Particular congrats to Kristin Hughes. That little "Oooh!" screech of hers cracks me up. Technical problem: Sound goes from low to loud depending on the speaker.

Pygmalion


(5 stars)

Bernard Shaws' most famous play does not lose anything in LibriVox's production. The readers playing the parts were really good. First of all, there was an incredible performance of the Eliza Doolittle's part. Professor Higgins' actor reminded me, not unfavorably, of Rex Harrison's performance in My Fair Lady. The other characters were also well developed and read. Mrs. Pearce, Colonel Pickering, Mrs. Higgins, Alfred Doolittle, Mrs. Eynsford-Hill, Freddy, certainly, the narrators, and many others did a fine job. It was a very well done production. Congratulations to LibriVox and its excellent readers. Thank You! : )

Well Executed and a Joy to Hear


(5 stars)

Superb readers did justice to this literary treasure and deserve more stars than I can give. Aside from being a comical read, Pygmalion serves as a relevent commentary on societal structures such as class and propriety.

Clear recording


(3.5 stars)

The story is good and the recording is clear, but I believe this is a story that requires accurate accents to be best appreciated and thus recording missed on that mark.

great


(3.5 stars)

nice, thank you :) but a bit too much sound in the background, which anyway does not interfere with the comprehension or listening :)

Very Good


(4 stars)

I really enjoyed this recording. I have been involved with a production of "My Fair Lady" and found the differences interesting.


(5 stars)

I am sometimes Leary of listening to plays on LibriVox because of the varying audio quality, but really enjoyed this classic!