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...
There are always a lot of wonderful things to do in Sydney. But whether it's an evening filled with razzle dazzle or cheeky matinee, there is something extra special about going to the theatre.
You can take a deeper dive by with our guide to the best of Sydney's stages this month. For now, here's our picks of the best shows to see this week.
