Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner
Music: Frederick Loewe
"Footman (spoken)
Sir Reginald and Lady Tarrington.
(A Couple enter, cross to right pouffe.
A Couple enter downstage right, with
Mrs Higgins, cross to downstage right-center. Mrs Higgins moves to group downstage center.)
Professor Zoltan Karpathy.
(Karpathy, a bearded Hungarian, enters, crosses downstage stairs to group upstage center.)
Colonel Hugh Pickering.
(Pickering enters, crosses downstage stairs to Mrs Higgins at downstage center.
Music plays through.)
Pickering (spoken)
Mrs Higgins!
Mrs Higgins (to group she is with) (spoken)
Excuse me.
Pickering
Well, she got by the first hurdle. The Ambassador’s wife was completely captivated.
Mrs Higgins
I know. I’ve heard several people asking who she is. Do tell me what happened.
Pickering
Higgins said: ‘Madame Ambassador, may I introduce Miss Eliza Doolittle?’ and Madame Ambassador said: ‘How do you do?’ – and Eliza came right back with: ‘How do you do?’
Mrs Higgins
Is that all?
Pickering
Oh, no! When it was my turn, both the Ambassador and his wife said to me: ‘Colonel Pickering, who is that captivating creature with Professor Higgins?’
Mrs Higgins
What did you say?
Pickering
Well, I was stopped for a moment. Then I collected myself and I said: ‘Eliza Doolittle.’
(A Couple enter downstage right – cross to stage center –
A Lady enters downstage left – crosses to meet them.)
Mrs Higgins (crosses downstage right)
That was quick thinking, Colonel.
(A Couple enter downstage right, crosses to right center.
A Gentleman enters downstage right, crosses to a Lady who had entered downstage right and crosses to stage center.)
Pickering
Thank you.
(crosses Mrs Higgins)
Mrs Higgins, do you think Eliza will make it?
Mrs Higgins
Oh, I hope so! I’ve grown terribly fond of that girl."