The classic Austen story mixed with 21st Century hilarity.
Wow. I’m just going to come out and say it….. this is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen! And I’ve seen a fair few in my time. It was first of all one of my favourite books and then the BBC hit out a corker of a tv show in the 90s. Who hasn’t watched Colin Firth climb out of that lake 20 times?
But popular fiction doesn’t always translate to stage well and how on earth do you make an 19th century play about upper class romance appeal to the masses in Northern Leeds? This production has just shown us how and proved in glorious comedic style that it most certainly can be done!
The British classic of ‘Pride & Prejudice’ was written by Jane Austen in 1813 and follows the decidedly middle-class lives of sisters Elizabeth and Jane Bennett as they are pushed and pulled into finding wealthy husbands, for what else were women meant to do back then? Flash forward to 2023 and this brand new Olivier winning show has come straight from the Westend and is taking the UK by storm.
With a cast of 5 women, an array of instruments and a whole lotta sass, the show is narrated by a gang of servants who are of course privy to all the comings and goings of those of the higher order. The cast of just five proceeds to perform each and every role in the show amongst them, seamlessly transforming within seconds from the tedious Mr Collins to the juvenile delinquent that is Lydia. Each actor, indeed each sister, has an entirely different accent and stereotypical persona, poking fun at the social constructs of the upper classes.
Although a recipe for corniness, the singing was skilfully introduced almost as karaoke songs, with a mixture of recorded backing tracks and live performances, all five cast members playing instruments on stage, with songs including ‘You’re So Vain’ (sung about Mr Darcy of course) and ‘I Need A Hero’.
There was no one star performer here….. all five cast members were stars, each brilliant in their own individual and excellent way. The unconventional Lizzy Bennet, performed by Emmy Stonelake, was a particularly creative interpretation, being a regency version of Nessa from ‘Gavin and Stacy’…Welsh accent included. Yet all five cast members gave two hours worth of sheer acting brilliance. The pace of this performance was absolutely astounding; they must have been exhausted by the end.
Every single action was directed with complete control and audience entertainment in mind. Each scene had been cleverly constructed so that each one was as creative as the next. I mean, who would have ever thought of portraying the moment Lizzy and Mr Wickham’s ‘relationship’ took off as being set in front of a dumpster whilst three backing musicians performed a Spanish inspired love song? It shouldn’t have worked, but the outstanding comic timing was just one of the moments of true brilliance from directors Isobel McArthur and Simon Harvey.
I think even those who don’t know the original story won’t find it hard to love this show. I was unsure of whether a production which such a small cast would be able to fill a theatre the size of the Leeds Grand, but they didn’t just fill it…they owned it. I think Austen herself would have praised the feminine power this show brought, with perhaps a little blush at some of the language and sexual content. For a 21st century audience, this just made the story more relatable and the comedy timing slick and direct.
The idea of having the serving staff narrate the show was again a touch of genius that made the play more relatable for the masses, as we laughed along with them at the self-obsessed lives of each character. This play is not a show for young audiences, but this is most definitely a show for absolutely everyone else.
This is how a production is meant to be done: fresh, creative, entertaining. I could write about this show for pages, but I would hate to give any more away as the surprise aspect is part of what makes it so engrossing to watch.
If you’re looking for a way to see two hours of hilarity and pure stage talent this week….. do not miss this show!!
Tickets: https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/pride-and-prejudice-sort-of-2023/#book
Cover photograph: Megan Louise Wilson. All photography by Mihaela Bodlovic.
