Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) – Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

Witty, cleaver and true to its original material, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is one not to be missed. A cast of 5 brilliant actresses Tori Burgess, Christina Gordon, Leah Jamieson, Hannah Jarret-Scott and Isobel McArthur (today nominated by the Evening Standard Awards in the Emerging Talent category) take on the classic tale of Pride and Prejudice warts and all.

The play is taken from the point of view of the staff within the novel, those forgotten by the reader and sometimes the writer, the ones deprived of a story of their own but who play a major part in bringing the story together and making things happen. Each actress takes on many a role within the play, dressing in a white chemise and adding character pieces on top to distinguish each character, no major wig changes, no extravagant dress changes, we know these ladies are multi-rolling the whole time which adds to the fun of the performance.

For those unfamiliar with the tale of Pride And Prejudice, it follows a a family of sisters in the 19th century desperately looking for suitors to marry before their father passes and they lose everything. When news of a wealthy bachelor coming to the local ball reaches their pushy mother, sister Jane is encouraged to woo the fellow causing them both to fall for each other. Things are not quite as simple though when Bingley’s friend Mrs Darcy butts heads with Jane’s strong willed and outspoken sister Elizabeth, leading to Jane’s heartbreak, a lot of awkward staring and eventually an unlikely but yet predictable romance.

This production takes no second thought in displaying the outrageous elements and characters in the story, picking apart the tale carefully as not to disrespect it but retell it with a modern air. The maids state that their tale never finishes, never being written an ending, so whilst the set remains an old house of the period, modern elements are introduced here and there such as a Ferrero Roche tower and small boom box karaoke used when the character regularly break into song.

This is not a perfectly polished show however it is thought out to that last detail, the story is told, the audience make their connections to the characters but the use of humour, multi-rolling, music and breaking of the fourth wall remind us not to take the story too seriously. A perfectly balanced performance.

The cast are incredible and multi-skilled, their comedic timing is impeccable. Not only do these ladies, sing and act they can also be seen playing various instruments such as the piano, trumpet and even the harp. Not one cast member outshines another in this wonderful piece of theatre, the whole team work well as a unit, and you can tell that they are all having fun throughout.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable piece of theatre, and possibly the best show I personally have seen this year. I would highly recommend getting tickets whilst you still can.

Pride And Prejudice* (*sort of) plays at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh from 18th October until 5th November. https://lyceum.org.uk/whats-on/production/pride-and-prejudice-sort-of-1

Reviewer: Beth Eltringham

Reviewed: 19th October 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★