There’s a party going down in York – as smash-hit comedy Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is raising the roof at York Theatre Royal this week.
This is Jane Austen’s iconic enemies-to-lovers classic like you’ve never seen it before – with five superstars, plenty of swearing, and a plethora of pop classics. In bleak times such as these, this show was like a warm hug.
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is at York Theatre Royal this week, from Monday 4 to Saturday 9 November.
This adaptation by Isobel McArthur – currently on its latest UK tour and fresh from its recent success on the West End, where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy – is a triumph.
The show starts before the lights go down, with the cast emerging into the stalls and onto the stage, offering a shoe shine and a dust along the way.
This break-down of the fourth wall continues as the cast take to the stage, clad in plain white linen dresses, to introduce the tale as the servants of the household. The impassioned first speech states that ‘servants are integral to love stories’ – as who is doing all the washing, cleaning and dressing while the main middle-class characters get to court and attend balls?
The five-strong ensemble cast were nothing short of sensational. They all play several roles each, and you’d believe the cast were triple in its size for how much they embodied each distinctive character. The multiple costume and accent changes were like lightning, and highlighted the complete skill of every performer on stage.
Naomi Preston Low was our spirited and gutsy Lizzy, and it was a joy to watch her stomp and spin around the stage and inject a fantastic Northern vitality into the character – she dropped a couple of expertly-timed f-bombs, and her spectacular takedown of Mr Collins was a particular highlight.
Christine Steel played a very sweet Jane, but she truly shined as the despicable George Wickham and the haughty Lady Catherine. The way she transformed into each character was truly delightful to watch, with so many funny moments as well.
Susie Barrett portrayed both Lydia and Mary Bennet (to hilarious effect) and the pompous Mr Collins among others – even just her walk as Mr Collins was hysterical, and I loved every moment she was on stage. It was great to see her get her long-awaited moment at the end too.
Rhianna McGreevy as Mrs Bennet and Mr Darcy – two characters who could not be further apart – was a revelation. She was loud, domineering and ballsy as the desperate Mrs B, and her dramatic distresses were some of the funniest moments of the night. However it was her tenderly sincere portrayal of Darcy that I thought was astounding – and left room for many touchingly humorous moments as well.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Emma Rose Creaner whenever she was onstage – as both Charles and Caroline Bingley she was an absolute riot. The scene where Creaner, as Catherine, attempts to gain Darcy’s attention through escalating means is a fantastic feat of comedy. It was lovely to also see her softer and more vulnerable side too as the unrequited love-stricken Charlotte Lucas.
Even when the stage descended into sisterly squabbles and clamorous chaos, they all worked perfectly together – and are clearly having a lot of fun on stage. They also play musical instruments live on stage too, so their talents know no bounds.
The two-storey set was impressive, with a grand staircase that elevated the cast to musical heights during several of the dramatic numbers. Perfectly timed clicks and petal throws transported us from day to night, mansions to Meryton, and into lovestruck looks and out again, with lovely lighting design from Colin Grenfell.
Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s set and costume design created a glorious Georgian tapestry – while incorporating a variety of modern additions too including Irn Bru cans, red Solo cups, Wagon Wheels, and a Frosties box, which bizarrely all worked in harmony.
The limited set pieces were used to great comedic effect, with a high-backed armchair featuring an unseen pipe-smoking, newspaper-reading Mr Bennet, a brilliant pun about Jane Austen and a bin, and Willy the horse. The more you find out about that yourself, the better!
The short musical numbers never felt intrusive, and you could feel the responsive audience hold their breath in anticipation when one of the women picked up a handheld microphone to hear which nostalgic banger would be next. These included tunes such as Etta James’ ‘At Last’, The Shirelles’ ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’, Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, and Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Holding Out for a Hero’.
Despite all the comedic capers, this is actually a very faithful adaptation of Austen’s 1813 novel and die-hard fans are sure to be satisfied. The affection this show holds for its source material clearly shines through in every scene – and it’s always a joy to see a show that reminds you that theatre can still be very silly.
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is at York Theatre Royal until Saturday 9 November. Tickets start from £15 and are available via the York Theatre Royal website.