Melbourne Reviews

A nuanced and wild adaptation of one of the world’s most loved novels.

Whether you were forced to study it in high school or have watched one of its many iterations, Pride & Prejudice is a book universally acknowledged as pre-existing intellectual property with mass appeal. From Bridget Jones to Bride and Prejudice, Jane Austen’s novel about the romantic lives of the five Bennet sisters continues to inspire artists and scholars centuries later.

Which is exactly what writer and co-director Isobel McArthur has done with the raucous comedy, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of). Created in 2018 for an initial two-week run in Glasgow, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) has evolved into a hugely popular internationally touring production.

Told from the perspective of the servants of the Bennet household, audience members are thrust into the alternative-Austen reality with an opening number performed by Australian musical theatre darling Amy Lehpamer. It’s a slightly jarring start to the show, but the exceptional cast quickly set the tone for the fourth-wall-breaking performance.

Playing multiple characters from across the original novel in addition to their privileged positions as servants, the gender-swapping, character-changing performances could be confusing if not in the capable hands of such an accomplished cast.

Minimal costume changes support the transformations, but it is the versatility of the artists on stage that makes this so compelling. From Kaori Maeda-Judge’s posh Jane Bennet to her turn as the wicked George Wickham and Zoe Ioannou’s frazzled Mrs Bennet to the dashing Fitzwilliam Darcy, no one puts a foot wrong. Teo Vergara as Elizabeth Bennet is a brilliant captain of this ship, as she navigates the intricacies of the story and delivers a stunning rendition of Carly Simon’s You’re so vain.

Ruby Shannon doubles down on comic relief, playing two Bennet sisters (Lydia and Mary) and the painfully dull Mr Collins. Shannon is a true delight, stealing scenes with expert timing and a gift for slapstick. Lehpamer is equally glorious, particularly as the morose Charlotte Lucas confined by 19th-century propriety and attitudes towards sexuality.

What’s clear about Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is that the concept comes from a deep love and respect for the original work. While it sends up elements of the novel, it digs deeper into the razor-sharp satire and social commentary of Austen to reveal the hypocrisy and limitations placed on women, both in Austen’s time and now.

A witty, nuanced production accessible to audiences regardless of their English literature knowledge, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is a hilarious and joyful night at the theatre. Managing to walk the line between bawdy comedy and clever subtlety, it’s a rare gem of the modern theatre.