Five actors, 16 roles, one play, all performed with perfect timing, hilarity and to perfection – we loved this show.
Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) is now on at the Oxford Playhouse until Saturday, but be warned tickets are limited.
Where do we start with this review because to be honest this show had everything you would want – it was filled with hilarious one-liners, smut, double-entendres, music and song and a new take on a very old story.
Based on the best-loved Jane Austin novel, but told from the viewpoint of the servants in the Bennet family home, this is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice as you’ve never seen before, complete with modern music, modern phrases and a few expletives thrown in and the audience absolutely lapped it up.
It had all the beloved characters, including the Bennet sisters (Elizabeth, Lydia, Jane, Kitty and Mary), their mother, Mr Darcy, Charles Bingley etc
In the opening scene we saw one of the Bennet servants waving filthy plunger in the air, and then the cast – Isobel Donkin, Eleanor Kane, Rhianna McGreevy, Naomi Preston Low and Christine Steel – complete with karaoke machine and microphones burst into song. It just got better and better!
The set was simple (a large staircase, a piano and stacks of books) but the stage was constantly busy with fast action and the many different props being wheeled in by the girls, including an illusion of Mr Bennet in his chair reading the newspaper; and later party food consisting a tray of wagon wheels, Ferrero Rocher chocolate tower and cheese and pineapple sticks.
We particularly liked (and giggled) at the many one-liners – ‘she would look great in liquid sh*t’; Mrs Bennet talking about her daughters ‘Sadly some men don’t appreciate nuance’; and Mr Darcy’s ‘You know who I can’t stand… people’.
Do watch out for Jane’s horse riding (‘Go outside and mount Willy’ cried Mrs Bennet), the coconut shell clip-clopping and the mop-bird! And then gasp then giggle at Elizabeth’s response to Mr Collins’ third marriage proposal.
There was so much to this show – these are five multi-talented women, who looked like they were enjoying the performance as much as the audience. We can see why this production has won so many awards because we absolutely loved it! Our advice is go and see it!
For more information or tickets view https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/
Details
- Venue: Oxford Playhouse
- Dates: Wed 12th – Sat 15 March
- Tickets: from £14
- Age: 12+
- Duration: 140 minutes
- WARNING: Includes strong language, gunshots and smoking.
