250 years since the birth of Jane Austen, and each generation continues to find ways of interpreting her work and its relevance to our own contemporary lives.
Isobel McArthur’s hugely successful Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) continues to fill theatres across the country with her own unique tribute to the Jane Austen original.
McArthur brings Austen’s reflections on 18th century manners and social etiquette screaming into the 21st century. Gone are lace, white gloves, stiff dancing and singing accompaniments to the harpsichord. In this version, we have Doc Martens, marigolds, thumping disco moves and karaoke.
A talented cast of five play multiple characters, energetically acting out the servants’ below-stairs observations of the growing feelings between the principles. This version stays so close to the original and at the same time manages to achieve the impossible task of being absolutely nothing like it. Austen’s strong characters are instantly recognisable despite their very modern behaviour. But McArthur has great fun transposing modern manners and attitudes onto the original story instead of the Regency manners of Austen’s version.
Both the comic interchanges between the cast and the musical numbers are the highlights of the evening. Kitty and Lydia behave like the very worst characters from Mean Girls; Lady Catherine De Burgh’s appearance is more like a wicked witch, the ineffectual Mr Bennet’s mute ‘appearance’ from behind his newspaper is hilarious. Smudged mascara, vodka and Pringles replace slipped lace and muddy petticoats.
The musical interludes are superb. Mr Wickham is introduced by Sade’s "Smooth Operator" and Mr Darcy’s introduction to Carly Simon’s "You’re so Vain" could not have been better chosen. The visual, verbal, musical and physical gags keep the audience in raptures throughout the night. Full marks to director and cast for the comic timing to create some very funny moments—the exchange around Mr Darcy’s portrait at Pemberley is stand-out.
Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s Regency-panelled staircase dominates the set. The ensemble make use of the space and height for dramatic entrances, and the Regency panels hide the exits for the fast character or prop changes.
It is a riot. If Austen were alive today, surely this is the version she would have written herself.