YVONNE ARNAUD THEATRE, GUILDFORD – UNTIL 16 NOVEMBER 2024
REVIEWED BY REBECCA SCOTT
5*****
I have been a lover of Austen’s novels since a teenager, so I was a little apprehensive as to how this show would turn out.
This show is funny … I mean really funny, delightful, at times touching, and I could not wipe the smile from my face throughout it.
The play is based on Jane Austen’s famous book ‘Pride and Prejudice’, which has been cleverly written and directed by Isobel McArthur.
This strong, all female cast take the audience through Austen’s story at a speed that is easy to follow. It involves multiple roles, different accents, many costume changes, impromptu singing, musical instruments, and hilarious anecdotes. I take my hat off to the actors who pulled this off seamlessly.
Pride and Prejudice is not an easy book to read. It needs a lot of unpicking and deals with ‘heavy’ themes of social class, feminism, and prejudices. So I can see why it is often used for GCSE English Literature. However, McArthur has excellently adapted this for the stage. She simplifies it but doesn’t alter the themes of the book either. It really is a masterpiece!
All the women were exceptional in their acting, comedic timing and they connected so well together. The standout performances for me were Emma Rose Creaner (Multi roles inc: Charles Bingley/Charlotte/Caroline) and Rhianna McGreevy (Multi roles inc: Fitzwilliam Darcey/Mrs Bennett). They had electric stage presence and I swear they just got funnier as the play went on.
The set is simple but effective. The staging cleverly takes you to Meryton, Netherfield, London, Pemberley and back again in a whistle-stop tour of the book’s locations. With the added nuances, musical interludes and props it showcases the staging and acting perfectly.
This play is such a treat … surely you must be in want of seeing it now? I think Miss Austen would approve!