Review: Mrs Bennet LOVES balls, and I loved Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I hate jukebox musicals. To be fair, when I say jukebox musicals, I really just mean Mamma Mia. Sorry to any Mamma Mia fans reading this – IMHO, you can’t beat the original magic of ABBA. So when I was invited to come along and review Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) (abbreviated as P&P* throughout), I was a teensy bit skeptical. Mind you, I am a massive Pride and Prejudice fan. I don’t want to brag, but I’ve almost managed to read two-thirds of the book. Twice. I’ve also watched the 2005 movie with Keira Knightley eight times, which is normal.

I can tell you now, dear reader, that I am an utter fool for thinking that this production would be anything other than a complete riot. P&P* had so many laugh-out-loud moments that it’s impossible to narrow them down for a review. The play subverts the original Pride and Prejudice story by claiming that the maidservants of these types of stories are always overlooked and unappreciated, and they should have a chance to tell the story themselves for once. Through numerous quick changes, accent shifts, and overhauls of character, P&P* demonstrates  the silliness of Jane Austen’s often misconstrued writing style, while remaining true to the core message of its source material.

I said earlier that I hate jukebox musicals (read: Mamma Mia), but P&P* displayed its musical moments as impromptu karaoke performances. It’s such an ingenious way of avoiding the cringe that often accompanies an overly theatrical interpretation of classic 80s ballads. The actors breaking into song at times of great emotional stress never once felt out of place or jarring. Not to mention the song choices were absolute bangers.

I was enamoured with how easily and lovingly the play toyed with concepts of gender and sexuality. Every actor in P&P* is played by a non-male, giving it an overtly feminist vibe, just as Austen intended. Not to mention the actors’ numerous creative skills: from singing to dancing to acting to playing musical instruments, they truly could do it all, and with immense style and humour. I was also pleasantly surprised at the amount of lesbian yearning that came from Charlotte Lucas throughout P&P*. I’d like to thank writer and original director Isobel McArthur for opening my mind to such possibilities.

A stand-out actor for me was the incredible Amy Lehpamer, known for her leading roles in the Australian tours of The Sound of Music, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and & Juliet. She portrayed the maid Tillie, Charlotte Lucas, Charles Bingley, and Caroline Bingley, and she was no less than perfect for all of them. Myself being so familiar with the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, her Charlotte was a joy to watch come to life: a spot-on interpretation of Claudie Blakley’s portrayal. Mr Bingley was also a delight, stealing the show whenever he was on stage, as a loveable and genuine (albeit naïve) man. Lehpamer’s portrayal of Miss Bingley was nothing short of simultaneously hilarious and maddening. Her accent and voice work was incredibly effective in giving each of her roles a unique presence on-stage. It was almost difficult to come to terms with the fact that they were all played by the same woman.

This is not to say that the other actors did not shine, of course. Teo Vergara as our leading lady Elizabeth Bennet was just as obstinate, headstrong, and intelligent as I expected her to be. Zoe Ioannou made my heart flutter as Mr Darcy, and my brain haemorrhage as Mrs Bennet (in a good way, of course). Kaori Maeda-Judge was incredibly endearing as Jane Bennet, infuriating as George Wickham, and, quite honestly, terrifying as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Ruby Shannon was perfect at encapsulating the little sister vibe with both her Mary and Lydia portrayals; her Mr Collins was heebie-jeebie inducing; her Mrs Gardiner was a pleasant and welcome surprise (love that woman).

I’d also like to show my appreciation for the lighting designer, Jason Bovaird. There were instances throughout the play where certain character changes seemed instantaneous thanks to the intentionality of the lighting. The impromptu karaoke was bolstered by the sudden spotlight and dramatic mood lighting surrounding the character/s giving their all on the mic, making this period piece a little less austere and a little more oh-yeah! (That was lame but I’m not sorry.)

Overall, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is so much more than people going to each others’ houses and talking. It is a rambunctious and celebratory display of the complexities life and love have to offer. It is an awesome retelling of a timeless tale. It is, put simply, a whole lot of fun.

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is running at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC) until Sunday 13th September. Grab your tickets while you can from the Merrigong Theatre Company website.