Karaoke and Austen collide in this spirited, all-female adaptation of a timeless literary classic. Playwright, actor, musician, and all-round plate spinner Isobel McArthur preserves the basic premise of Austen’s novel, yet hauls Pride and Prejudice into the twenty-first century by punctuating the action with brilliantly selected musical hits like Candi Staton’s ‘Young Hearts Run Free,’ and Chris de Burgh’s ‘Lady in Red.’ Furthermore, in this adaptation, the Bennet sisters are forthright, potty-mouthed, independent young women who have little interest in social mores and keeping up appearances. The themes of hidden passions, economic hardships, and patriarchal restrictions remain intact but McArthur ensures relatability by fusing the sweeping staircases and chandeliers of Georgian England with karaoke machines, booze, and a heroine who ruminates over her boy troubles whilst eating Frosties cornflakes straight from the box.
McArthur’s adaptation is complete with laughs aplenty, both period and modern. Some personal highlights were Miss Bingley’s various outlandish attempts to win Mr. Darcy’s affection, and the servants at Pemberley expressing surprise at Darcy arriving home ‘bone dry?!’ – a witty jab at the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth, which is guaranteed to generate a good laugh from the audience. Having Elizabeth dedicate Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’ to Mr. Darcy was a stroke of genius, and had me grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.
Tori Burgess, Felixe Forde, Christina Gordon, Hannah Jarrett-Scott, Isobel McArthur, and Meghan Tyler cope with the play’s challenging script brilliantly. They demonstrate impressive range as they seamlessly morph between playing maids, the Bennet sisters, male suitors, and formidable antagonists. I was especially impressed by Meghan Tyler who plays a strong-willed yet likeable Elizabeth, Christina Gordon who portrays both the beautiful, good-natured Jane Bennet, and the haughty, imposing Lady Catherine, and Tori Burgess who brings bookish, awkward, and frequently overlooked Mary out of her shell for the show’s rousing, feel-good musical finale. The Bennet sisters are well-distinguished and are each given their moments to shine. Set designer Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s decision to represent the ever-detached Mr Bennet by an armchair and broadsheet newspaper was enlightened and provided ample opportunity for amusing one-liners.
I only really have two complaints about the show. My first is that the show’s rough and ready script (containing many expletives) ensures that the performance is not suitable for all. Prior to watching the show, I watched a promotional video for Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) on the Nuffield Southampton Theatres' website. In the video, a couple of audience members stated that the show was suitable for anyone. After watching the show, I would not agree with this. This is a relatively minor complaint, given that I am a twenty-year-old woman who watched the show with her middle-aged mother (erm I mean my beautiful, youthful mother. Please forgive me after reading this bit mum!), however, I personally felt the amount of swearing wasn’t necessary and could have been toned down a little. My second complaint is that I found the show’s premise a bit confusing. The first few scenes set up the idea that the show will focus on the servants which serve as the backdrop to many of Austen’s novels. Although the servants kickstart the play, they rapidly fade into the background, assuming the status of mere plot ushers. Pragmatically, I understand that it would have been difficult staging a show centred around the phalanx of housekeepers, chambermaids, cleaners, and other household staff which populate Austen’s novels. Nonetheless, this discrepancy threw me off a little.
Overall, I would rate this all-singing, all-dancing, mischievously modern Austen adaptation 4/5 stars.
This middle aged woman really enjoyed this funny and uplifting performance. One outstanding moment was the actress playing Darcy posing in an empty picture frame, as the portrait of Darcy that the other actresses are commenting on. The whole play was full of funny moments like that and I laughed every time Mr Bennet "appeared" on stage, in the form of an empty armchair and raised newspaper. It's such a shame that the Nuffield theatres in Southampton, where this performance was recorded, have closed permanently.