Casting Actors for Production of "Pygmalion"

A poor flower girl with a strong Cockney accent who is ambitious to improve her life. Initially rough around the edges and feisty, Eliza undergoes a transformation into a poised, "lady-like" figure. She’s intelligent, spirited, and becomes increasingly aware of her self-worth throughout the play. Cockney (and later, Posh)

Higgins is an eccentric and brilliant phonetics professor with little regard for social niceties. He's arrogant, self-absorbed, and sees people, particularly Eliza, as subjects of study rather than human beings. His passion for phonetics drives much of the play's action. Not a romantic lead however his dynamic with Eliza is central to the story. Posh

A retired British officer and a fellow phonetics enthusiast who is more polite and considerate than Higgins. He serves as a kind of foil to Higgins’s brusqueness, treating Eliza with respect and kindness throughout her transformation. Posh

Eliza's father, a dustman with a charismatic personality and a lack of conventional morality. He is witty and somewhat philosophical, preferring to live life in the lower social class to avoid responsibility. Cockney

Henry Higgins's mother, an intelligent and sophisticated woman. She disapproves of her son's disregard for social conventions and has a strong sense of propriety. She becomes a maternal figure for Eliza, offering advice and support as she struggles with her changing identity. Posh

Higgins's housekeeper who is practical, no-nonsense, and deeply concerned about Eliza’s well-being. She is wary of Higgins’s impulsiveness and often serves as the voice of reason in his household. She helps Eliza during her transformation but also questions the ethics of the experiment. Standard (or Disney’s Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast – esque)

A well-meaning but somewhat naive young man from an upper-class family fallen on hard times. He becomes infatuated with Eliza and admires her elegance after her transformation. Freddy represents the romantic ideal and provides a contrast to Higgins's brusque demeanor. Posh

Freddy's sister, who is pretentious and keen to improve her social standing. She is an outspoken young woman attempting to adapt to modern ideas. Her character helps to illustrate the social pressures of the time. Posh

Freddy and Clara’s mother, who is trying to maintain dignity despite the family's reduced financial situation. She provides a window into the struggles of genteel poverty and the anxieties of maintaining social status in a changing society. Posh

A maid in Mrs. Higgins’s house, who assists during scenes set in Mrs. Higgins's drawing-room. While a minor role, she contributes to the portrayal of the upper-class household setting. Standard but bordering on slight Cockney

Speaking and Non-Speaking These characters appear in the opening scene in Covent Garden and serve as witnesses to Higgins’ notetaking and questioning of various people’s accents as well as his treatment of Eliza. Some will be vendors, one will be a taxi driver, and some will be various Londoners. Posh, Standard & Cockney (depending on role)