Without doubt, the best theatre I have seen in years!
Jane Austen’s classic Romantic Comedy novel, Pride & Prejudice published in 1813, is given this reshaping with exquisite insight and the voice of today’s much freer woman by Isobel McArthur in this modern stage version. The result has all the idiosyncrasies of the original with its underlying disclosure of reputation and family, still allegorically coded within but now with a freedom that allows a modern audience to heartedly laugh at the societal pressures of the era. This 21st- century microscope of a show, still explicably explores the interwoven themes of sexism, class and, the ache of relevance and foremost, the production retains the ‘Love’ questions, should love be enduring? Is there a perfect ‘one’? Or maybe love is someone who interprets Love as we individually do?
Audience at the fore, McArthur’s writing and direction allows the inhibitions of the characters to dissipate by slipping in a cunning narrative tool of a karaoke machine, giving the characters a voice and a merriment within the superficial glamour of big frocks and Regency interiors. The audience are wholly included as Bonnie Tyler and Carly Simon songs give us the characters subjective opinions as external judgements. Michael John McCarthy as Musical Director allows the cast to create much of the music themselves from Glockenspiels to pianos and even maracas.
With the story in an historical period so clearly defined by divisions in status and class, it is uniquely the servants who; rightly; narrate the story in McArthur’s version. An all-female cast of 5, impressively multi role play their way through servants, the main characters and minor ones at a break neck speed. With set and costume by Ana Ines Jabares-Pita, the costume changes alone are a wonder to behold, let along the magical entrances from every conceivable orifice in the theatre. With a traditional set of grandiose staircase, piano and seating, the cast move all the additional properties as needed – including Mr Bennett! The energy on the stage is electric and the Comedy Supervisor Jos Houben and Choreographer Emily Jan Boyle must be credited for their raucous job which has so much detail and is so well executed by the cast.
From the five servants to the five Bennet sisters, Mr and Mrs Bennet, Mr Collins, Wickham, Bingley and sister Caroline, Mrs Gardiner, Charlotte Lucas, Lady De Bourgh and of course Darcy – Emma Rose Creaner, Eleanor Kane, Rhianna McCreevy, Noami Preston Low and Christine Steel were the five performers playing the complete entourage, the evening I attended with Susie Barrett, Isobel Donkn and Georgia May Firth resting. Each of the five women will have had their champions in the audience, as they were so well matched with their skills of acting, comedy, song, dance and musicianship. I could not pick out a stand out performer, this was wholly a collective and a demonstration of the ability and strength of the women juxtaposed against a backdrop of an era where women had the same rights as a child and wedlock was their only opportunity in life. This production has so many levels to observe and can be enjoyed in so many ways. Marvellous!
Spontaneous standing ovations by myself are very rare, but I was the first on my feet before I even realised, I was upstanding. I absolutely adored this production, please go see it – Do not miss this!!! It is stunning in every sense and on every level. The cast are wondrous, the rewriting and reshaping are joyous, and the result is sublime! My editor didn’t allow me to give this 6 Stars, or I would undoubtedly have (and sneaked an extra couple in too!)
Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) is at the Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 18th January 2025… grab a ticket, it’s a theatrical must!! https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/pride-and-prejudice-sort-of-2025
Reviewer: Tracey Bell
Reviewed: 14th January 2025
North West End UK Rating: