Theatre Review: Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)

Towards the end of the novel Pride and Prejudice – as Elizabeth Bennett considers her happiness with Mr Darcy, in comparison to her sister Jane with Bingley, she says: “She only smiles… I laugh”

And you will laugh all the way through this audacious, all female retelling of the story which gives Jane Austen’s brilliant humour a new setting in which to sparkle.

All the silliest aspects of Austen are centre stage – Mrs Bennett, Mr Collins and Lady Catherine De Bourgh are here, in all their outrageous absurdity. Nor for a moment are the romantic leads allowed to be too serious – Darcy is preening and pompous, Bingley fey and boyish, Elizabeth wilful and wrong-headed.

Writer and director Isobel McArthur, introduces another dimension to the story – a chorus of cleaning maids – who appear between scenes wearing Regency underwear, to clean up, take messages and comment on the action.

And there’s a karaoke element – as characters burst into anachronistic popular song – accompanied by accordion, piano and guitar or using backing tracks played by a glowing purple beat box.

The five female performers switch hats, jackets and accents including Yorkshire, Scottish and Liverpudlian – none of which bear any relationship to Hertfordshire, where the action is supposedly set.

But there are great chunks of Austen text and dialogue and the plot is more of less identical to the book – which is, after all, the first, the original and the greatest romcom – and which is, decidedly, written from the female point of view.

Even the hint that Charlotte Lucas may have been a lesbian, which was new to me, makes perfect sense in the context of the novel and explains how she was able to marry the dreadful Mr Collins.

The cast are uniformly excellent – although Isobel McArthur’s ability to switch between Mrs Bennett and Mr Darcy is nothing short of miraculous. You really do rub your eyes, wondering who is playing what and how. There’s some great knockabout physical comedy but also moments of real pathos and beauty.

What this production does wonderfully is free Jane Austen from the stultifying conventions of period drama. There is absolutely no shuffling around in bonnets. The actors dance, swear, sing and hide in dumpsters.

And yet despite all the riotous fun, the heart of the perfect love story still shines through. We boo Lady Catherine, wince at Mr Colins but also cheer with happiness when Elizabeth and Darcy finally embrace – even though they are both clearly wearing petticoats.

The final moment goes to Mary – the tiresome talentless sister who never gets her heart’s desire. In this wish fulfilling and joyful version of Pride and Prejudice – even Mary gets her chance to shine.

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)

By Isobel McArthur (after Jane Austen)

Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh