Pride and Prejudice

Cast

Crew

Director's Notes

I've loved Jane Austen ever since I was a little girl constantly raiding my parents' library. In a world of Hornblower, Holmes, King Arthur and Sharpe, here were books where women, where daughters, took centre stage. Not in a hysterical 'Wuthering Heights' fashion, but in an intelligent, eloquent and remarkably relatable way. Many of Austen's women (particularly our favourites) were strong-willed, opinionated and obstreperous, even in a world which glorified the demure, passive woman. How could I not love them?

Austen is often dismissed as romance stories for girls, but this belies how radical and remarkable her female characters were. And it's not just Austen's women who defy their social conventions. Mr Bennet, one of literatures best-loved grumpy old men, refuses to allow his daughter to marry for anything less than happiness despite the precarious financial situation of the family. Austen's characters aren't just daring, they are also timeless. Who doesn't know a Lydia or a Lady Catherine, and who among us hasn't had their hearts broken by a Willoughby or a Wickham? Who hasn't seen themselves in every one of the Bennet sisters at one point or another or fancied themselves as a Mr Darcy (while secretly hoping they don't turn into a Mr Collins!).

All this makes putting on a production of Pride and Prejudice both exhilarating and utterly terrifying. Could we do the novel and Simon Reade's wonderful script justice, and could I possibly find actors to live up to the characters I've carried in my head for decades?

It turns out I needn't have worried.

I defy you to find a more perfect Mr & Mrs Bennet than Sally and Roger. Austen's Mr Collins is funny enough, but Wakeman's Mr Collins takes him to a whole new level of comedy. Lady Catherine is perfect. When she says she will not be interrupted, my goodness, you believe her! And 'I must throw in a good word for my Lizzy'. Beth is one of the few people in the world who I could happily watch as one of my favourite characters of all time without me wanting to shove her aside and steal the part myself. She is everything I wanted in my Elizabeth Bennet. In fact, I have never directed a show in which I have had to do so little direction. My expectations and wishes were high: every person on the stage has exceeded them.

There is, as always, a multitude of people to thank for making the show what it is, and I'll have to save most for the after-show party. Who knew Lady Catherine was an expert seamstress or that Mr Bingley was a lighting extraordinaire? Jasper, Alan and Mark have been my stalwart advisers when I couldn't bear to watch another Regency dance descend into general chaos or work out how to fit Pemberley on our little stage. It has been a joy to work with all of them – something I am beginning to suspect is normal with Bench.

In recent weeks, life hasn't been quite as kind to my family as I could have wished. But even on the worst days, when I struggled to raise a smile, watching this wonderful cast perform this brilliant play made me laugh out-loud time and time again. I hope it brings you the same joy. No matter how dark or miserable the winter nights are, I am confident that Austen's characters, Simon Reade's adaption and the cast's brilliance will brighten them up for you.

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Reviews

The NewsJames George

Beth Evans gives us exactly the Lizzy we want

Bench Theatre's autumn offering at The Spring is Simon Reade's adaptation of the gorgeous Pride and Prejudice. It's a fine adaptation of the lengthy novel, touching base with Austen's original exactly where it should and what is left out isn't missed at all. The principal cast, too, are uniformly good with some stand-out work in some of the central performances and a superb cameo.

Let's start with the cameo. Jo Langfield as wayward sister Lydia is a joy; a perfect example of there being no such thing as a small part. Langfield is natural (not easy when you're fighting that Regency dialogue) and funny and cheeky and just very good. Sarah Parnell dances dangerously along the edge of the pantomime-baddy cliff as Lady de Bourgh, but those who know her work know she's never in any danger of flinging herself over the edge. Likewise, Sally Hartley's Mrs Bennet could become parody but never does – and her comic timing is a joy to behold. While we're on the comic timing, I have just two words to say: Mark Wakeman. Sublime.

As the focus of the piece, Beth Evans gives us exactly the Lizzy we want and Stuart Reilly once again demonstrates the fact that he's one of the company's finest actors with a truthful, nicely observed, performance as Darcy.

Where the production falls down is in the crowd scenes; the dance-sequences in particular reek of under-rehearsal and one can't help but feel that the cast aren't enjoying themselves. The energy-levels fall off dangerously here.

Act one is over long (the fault of the script) but act two moves along nicely.

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