PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: And Proposals of Marriage

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: “People Who Do Not Complain Are Never Pitied”

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

By: Quill Theatre

At: Leslie Cheek Theater at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, RVA 23220

Performances: March 8-24, 2019

Ticket Prices: $30 Adults; $25 VMFA Members & Seniors 65+; $20 Students (with ID)

Info: (804) 340-1405, quilltheatre.org or https://reservations.vmfa.museum/

 

The Quill production of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, adapted for the stage by Christina Calvit, is quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had at a Quill production. Running just over two hours, the show is a delightful comedic romp that follows the trials and tribulations of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett as they – well, mostly Mrs. Bennett – try to find husbands for their five unmarried daughters.

Calvit has limited the novel’s multiple subplots and kept the story fairly simple and easy to follow, as is the language, and director Christopher Owens keeps the cast moving at a fair pace that is upbeat and maintains the classic character and deportment. Jeremy Gershman’s Regency era choreography adds an element of cultural authenticity while keeping the cast literally moving along at bubbly pace.

Irene Kuykendall and Axle Burtness have the lead roles of Elizabeth, the Bennett’s smart, beautiful, and stubbornly independent second daughter, and Mr. Darcy, the tall, handsome, and arrogant stranger who steals her heart. In one of the early ballroom scenes, the two admirably kept their conversation going while dancing, without missing a syllable or a step. If you’re looking for well-roundedness or depth of character, I don’t think you’ll find it here, but that’s not necessarily a shortcoming – just an observation of the adaptation’s purpose and the director’s vision. The comedic pacing was fine, while the characters’ chemistry was not developed in a way that made their ultimate passion convincing.

Kuykendall and Burtness may have had the lead roles, but Melissa Johnston Price commanded several scenes, first as the openly gold-digging mother, Mrs. Bennett, and then as the demanding matriarchal patron, Lady Catherine Debourgh – the aunt of Mr. Darcy. If Kuykendall and Burtness did some fancy stepping on the dance floor, Price did some fancy quick changes from Mrs. Bennett’s matronly dress, that resembled nothing so much as wallpaper, to Lady Debourgh’s elaborately layered widow’s weeds and cane. Price sums up Mrs. Bennett’s character with one line: “People who do not complain are never pitied.” (For Lady Debourgh, one might paraphrase that to, “People who do not bully others are never feared,” but that carries much less panache.)

Joe Pabst, in the quadruple roles of Mr. Bennett, Sir William, Colonel Forster, and Fitzwilliam was also no slouch in the quick change department. I’m sure kudos are due to unnamed backstage assistants. Pabst seemed to enjoy his roles as much as the audience, but I found his delivery of my favorite line a bit too subtle. When Elizabeth declines the proposal of Mr. Collins, her father asks if she understands that “your mother will never see you again if you don’t marry him. . .and I will never see you again if you do.” Here, it might be helpful to know that she is the daughter who spends the most time with her father, apparently helping him with the family’s business.

We learn more about Elizabeth and Jane, the second eldest and eldest, respectively, and the headstrong youngest daughter, Lydia, but very little about the other two – Kitty and Mary.

Tradition dictates that the eldest, Jane, played by Maggie Quick, must marry first, but Lydia, played with great energy and enthusiasm by Annie McElroy, has no regard for tradition, and places the family name in jeopardy with her impetuous actions. Mary, who is traditionally described as the plainest in looks, is played by the lovely Allison Gilman, and Kitty, gets so little attention that the considerable comedic skills of Nicole Morris-Anastasi are sadly underutilized.

I also enjoyed Joel White’s portrayal of the obsequious cousin and heir, Mr. Collins, whose annoying speech quirk of adding “mmmmm” in the spaces between words while gesturing as if holding a large, invisible hat with a large feather are strangely endearing. As Mrs. Bennett’s brother-in-law, Mr. Gardiner, he is the picture of manners and gentility. And I must include a brief mention of Audrey Sparrow and Ethan Cross, two high students who played the role of servants – welcome to the company of Quill Theatre.

Reed West designed the set, which contains many architectural elements that rotate to create the various environments, with the support of lighting by Gregg Hillmar. Patricia Wesp designed the costumes, which I thought were much more elaborate and well-constructed for the men than for the women. While the daughters generally had dresses appropriate for the unmarried young women of a gentleman of little means, Mrs. Bennett’s shapeless dress was dangerously close to resembling a flannel nightgown. Several members of the Regency Society of Virginia attended Saturday’s performance wearing period attire that rivaled that of the actors onstage.

Pride and Prejudice is a delightful production of a classic love story that reminds us that the more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s become a classic for a reason: we recognize these people; it appeals to a wide range of ages; it crosses class; and it addresses real problems with humor. Pride and Prejudice has a run of only ten shows, so don’t hesitate if you like to see it.

 

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

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Photo Credits: Photos not available at the time of publication.

 

 

 

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