The Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theatre Company’s production of Pride and Prejudice premiered this weekend. Based on the book by Jane Austen and adapted for the stage by Jon Jory, the play was directed by Carleton University student Sarah Sheils.
The plot of Pride and Prejudice takes off at Longbourn Estate in Hertfordshire—an estate crowded by the Bennett family. It is a tale of love, ego and the trials that the two, when combined, bring to the story’s colourful characters.
The play opened with Mr. Bennet, played by Zayd Bille, setting the stage by introducing his family. The introduction itself was just as comic and illustrious as each of the characters were. Mrs. Bennet, played by Emily Poulsen, really took the spotlight with her shrill exclamations and entertainingly high-pitched laughter. She was followed by her on-stage daughters; Jane (Emma Perreault), Elizabeth (Hayley Forbes), Mary (Neve Sugars-Keen), Kitty (Vanessa Beaudin), and Lydia (Anna Paquin).
As the plot unfolded, the audience was transported to a ballroom scene where Mr. Darcy (Sam Pomerant), Mr. Bingley (Daniel Morakinyo), and Miss Bingley (Genevieve Hilton) made their entrances. Pomerant was true to his character, portraying Darcy as a stoic, seemingly disagreeable but nevertheless charismatic man. All eyes in the audience, from that point on, seemed to follow Forbes and Pomerant in their portrayals of Elizabeth and Darcy.
Reid’s performance as Wickham was captivating, eliciting audible gasps among the audience as he fixed the Bennet ladies with his suave dialogue delivery and enthralling stares. Somehow, even while exuding such persona, Reid managed to bring the shadiness of Wickham’s character to the attention of the audience just by means of his acting, in a fashion quite remarkable. McLellan as Mr. Collins, on the other hand, had the audience erupting with laughter during his every moment on stage. His portrayal of Collins was perfect–nasal, nervous and not at all adept with social cues.
The play oscillated in setting between Hertfordshire and Derbyshire, the latter being Mr. Darcy’s place of residence. It also took us to the parsonage of Rosings, where the audience was acquainted with Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Sugars-Keen). While her role as Mary did not do her theatrical abilities justice, Sugar-Keen captured the spotlight as Lady De Bourgh. With her nose in the air and her loud, commanding dialogues she had the audience wheezing with laughter.
Lydia, played by Paquin, had the audience giggling at her “yoohoos” and chuckling at her open and cheeky flirtations. She also played a critical role in leading the plot of the play with her constant narrations along with Kitty, played by Vanessa Beaudin. Without the actors playing the two youngest Bennet sisters, the plot of the play would definitely have been incomplete.
All of the actors skillfully brought out a farrago of emotions in the audience with their performances, as people left the room on that opening night with a smile still playing on their lips. The lighting, props and costumes, along with background sound effects, beautifully accentuated their performances. All in all, the play acts as a very warming experience this cold winter.
Pride and Prejudice is running Nov. 17, 22, and 23 at the Kailash Mital Theatre in Southam Hall.
Featured image by Tim Austen.
