With the book, TV series and film amongst my favourites, this was a must-see for me when it arrived in Richmond Theatre from the West End last night.
The staging was wonderful – a giant circular grid of iron staircases and doorways that rotated frequently to present different interior and exterior settings. Actors constantly moved across the stage to give the performance more life than expected. Projected woodlands on the back wall designated country scenes. Costumes were suitably modest for the Bennet girls and more sumptuous for the wealthier characters. And those bright red soldier costumes made the ball scenes jolly and visually appealing delights. There were plenty of young squealing girls, living up to Mr Bennett’s description of them as “silly and ignorant”.
It was fast paced (Jane Austen on speed?) and perky. More a playful comedy than a drama. And whilst the production lost some of the intelligence, subtlety and nuance of the original work it made up for it in laughter and energy.
The play was undoubtedly dominated by Felicity Montagu in the role of Mrs Bennet. She made the larger than life character even bigger – eclipsing even Matthew Kelly’s more considered portrayal of Mr Bennett. Steven Meo as Mr Collins was similarly over the top – conveying the awkwardness of this character. Another comic genius in the ascendant was Leigh Quin who was wonderfully funny as Mary Bennet and – even with very few lines – managed to inject humour into the role of Miss Annabel de Bourgh. Other actors that shone in a quieter way were Daniel Abbott as Mr Wickham and Francesca Bailey as Miss Charlotte Lucas (who, incidentally, was far too beautiful to be cast as “plain” Charlotte).
Alas, despite Benjamin Dilloway having the commanding height of Mr Darcy to portray the brooding displeasure of the character, I felt there was a distinct lack of that smouldering sexiness that most of those playing Mr Darcy manage to manifest. He did convey his social discomfort though. Tafline Steen – as Elizabeth Bennet (one of my all-time literary heroines) – played her as a surly, antagonistic teenager rather than an intelligent, well-read and well-mannered young woman. There was plenty of fire in her performance.
The audience reaction was thoroughly positive – with people around me commenting “Brilliant” and “Wonderful”. They laughed through the whole performance. Austen must be on the school curriculum at present as there were large numbers of school groups of young adults present. I bumped into a neighbour who was there to see it for the second time, having seen it in Woking a few weeks ago.
The first half lasted an hour and 20 minutes and ends with Mr Darcy’s proposal. After an interval of 20 minutes, the second half continues for 55 minutes. My companion felt the production warmed up considerably in the latter stages.
Further details: http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/pride-and-prejudice/richmond-theatre/
