Isobel McArthur’s Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) strips away the intellectual exclusivity of Jane Austen’s classic, not only making it accessible to a wide variety of audiences, but also making clear the sort of tools that Austen herself was using in her original novel: gender, satire, romance, and – most of all – comedy. There’s no Colin Firth here – but there are plenty of karaoke songs to hum along to.
What is the premise of Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)?
Told by the servants who work tirelessly behind the main characters within Austen’s work, we’re given a slapstick comedy version of Pride and Prejudice.
Dressed in white gowns with Doc Martens poking out underneath, the five-strong cast clean their way through the audience with yellow rubber gloves and individualised accents from across Great Britain. The fourth wall is destroyed immediately – they want you to be a part of the story.
After a rather disturbing entrance involving a plunger and a rather messy toilet, Elvis Costello’s ‘Everyday I Write the Book’ launches us into literary territory and the premise is set up. Though you may only know the main characters of Pride and Prejudice, there were unsung heroes helping to push the Bennet sisters along their journey towards love and stability.
Now, it’s their turn to tell a version of the events, with a song or two along the way – it’s best not to reason about the artistic merits or reasoning behind this addition, just go with it. Perhaps the jumbled selection of songs was for musical marketability reasons only, or else they were loosely thrown together based on themes, but either way they aren’t the main focal point for this production.
Who are the cast and crew of Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)?
Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Award-winning Amy Lehpamer (& Juliet, The Sound of Music) leads the ensemble, with her range being displayed in all its facets. Lehpamer throws everything onto the stage – from violin and piano backing to elastic facial expressions and of course, her signature soaring belts. She reminds us why she’s one of our most versatile talents.
But – and I mean this in the nicest way possible – Lehpamer is not the star here. Alongside her, Kaori Maeda Judge (A Christmas Carol, Little Women), Ruby Shannon (CAKE), Teo Vergara (Jagged Little Pill, Converted!), and Zoe Ioannou (Grease, Hairspray) each steal the scene in their own moments. Together, they make one of the strongest ensembles on Sydney stages this year.
Ioannou’s Mr Darcy and Mrs Bennet are particular highlights, with Ioannou chewing at the scenery with every single moment she’s given. Her foul-mouthed, cockney-speaking matriarch is a riot throughout, and her Mr Darcy out-awkwards even the most iconic of Colin Firth utterances. But what’s most incredible is that you believe every single element she creates to build these characters. It’s a hoot!
Vergara’s Elizabeth Bennet gets the most singular characterisation here – they truly are the beating heart of the production. Elizabeth’s stringent views on marriage and love are steadfast throughout, reminding us why Austen’s characters are so enduring.
Making her professional debut, Shannon is a natural. She moves with a swiftness into some of the more forgotten characters – poor Mary – and makes them entirely her own. Meanwhile, Judge’s multitude of characters she switches between will impress – and make your head spin. There’s an incredible versatility at play here, particularly with Judge’s take on Lady Catherine, who haunts the stage through preposterously elongated vowels and some tricky stage lighting.
What is a highlight of Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)?
Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s set and costume designs are perfectly realised to make the numerous quick changes flow and become their own piece of performance within the show itself. The swinging cellar doors through which our five servants slide in and out of make the set – with its towering shelves of wallpapered books – a playhouse of sorts through which the story plays out.
Who will like Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)?
This show isn’t just for the Austen fans. After successfully touring Britain, Canada, and the high seas, it’s safe to say that Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) will appeal to a wide range of audiences. This is a night of fun, revelry, literary adaptation, singing, and of course, love. Because who doesn’t love a little rom-com now and then?
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