It is a truth universally acknowledged that any review of Pride and Prejudice must begin with a clever iteration of its renowned opening line. As an immensely popular and widely loved piece of classic literature, Pride and Prejudice has been adapted numerous times to the screen and the stage. Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) offers a fresh take on theatrical retellings of the story with its use of modern props, colloquial dialogue, and its five-women ensemble cast.

Pride and prejudice* (*sort of) is written by Isobel McArthur, based on the novel by Jane Austen. It is a mostly faithful retelling of the original early 19 th century story with some parts omitted to fit into a two-hour timeframe and accommodate the limited five-person cast. This version, however, turns everything on its head by having five servants play out the roles of all the upper-class characters, highlighting the issues of class divide and the invisibility of the lower classes in most of the works from the era. What we get is a playful romp of the classic story told by the servants, including karaoke numbers (with actually good singing), drunk shenanigans and multiple proposals (apologies for the spoiler!).

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The actresses were absolutely brilliant with their expressions, physicality, and comedic timing

A little before the show started, the servants entered the seating area and started chatting with members of the audience, cleaning the armrests and chairs, as well as the banisters and stairs on stage. This was just the start of the audience interaction present throughout the show, which often involved breaking the fourth wall to make the viewers play a small part in the story too.

The set is modest and functional, and is easily transformed to show rooms of different houses. One of the first things that caught my attention were the Dr. Marten boots, and yellow cleaning gloves adorned by all the characters. I knew I was in for a treat with the inclusion of shockingly modern objects, such as Pringles cans and red Solo cups, in what is meant to be a Regency-era setting. All of these added to the humour and relatability of the characters.

I found their dresses to be beautiful, distinctive and appropriately luxurious. The super quick costume changes astonished me, and the brilliant costume design ensured that all the characters were easily distinguishable despite being played by the same set of actresses.

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The entire production was superbly funny, having the audience in stitches with its constant stream of wit and jest

The actresses were absolutely brilliant with their expressions, physicality, and comedic timing. Emma Rose Creaner, who played the roles of Charlotte Lucas, Caroline Bingley and Charles Bingley, among others, particularly stood out to me with her hilarious mannerisms and physical comedy; one of these instances being a solid three minutes of Caroline Bingley’s antics to grab attention. Rhianna McGreevy, who plays Mrs. Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy, was praise-worthy as well, effortlessly switching from whiny and needling to charming within a moment. Naomi Preston did justice to the character of Elizabeth Bennet, with her actresses’ lively and unrestrained portrayal.

The entire production was superbly funny, having the audience in stitches with its constant stream of wit and jest, and the occasional profanity. The contemporary feel and unpretentiousness of the show makes it accessible to a modern audience and can act as a stepping stone for greener viewers to delve into Jane Austen’s work.

I found Pride and prejudice* (*sort of) to be exuberant and joyful and would highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun evening out.

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) runs at the Birmingham Rep until 8th February 2025

Rating: 5/5

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