Review: (Ottawa) Pride and Prejudice

(From company website)

Deja Vu
by Jim Murchison 

First of all I must apologize to Ottawa Little Theatre for not submitting this review earlier. I dare say that my Pride got the better of me, and my prejudice to accept that I had erred allowed me to wallow for a period of some days. In the same way that there have been two productions of this Jane Austen tale this season, I have written two reviews of OLT's Pride and Prejudice. The first has been swallowed into a virtual wasteland, likely because in my fatigue I neglected to save it properly.

It is fortunate that OLT is proud enough not to be intimidated by the NAC season and suffers no prejudice in underestimating their own abilities. This production is based on Helen Jerome's Broadway production of the thirties which also inspired the first film version with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson but the sensibility is pure nineteenth Century.

Review: (Ottawa) Pride and Prejudice

Tyrell Crews and Shannon Taylor (photo credit: Trudie Lee)

Ever-Faithful

by Jim Murchison 

@JimMurchison

By Canadian theatre standards NAC’s mainstage theatre is a relatively large house and while it works quite well for more intimate shows, it is fun to see it rev up to its potential of a performance space of more grandeur. Certainly, the large cast and Jane Austen’s epic story of class, courting and ritual in 19th century England would give the theatre the chance to strut its stuff.

The first hint you get that you are in for an evening of more traditional theatre is that the curtain is actually drawn. When it does open your eye is immediately drawn to the oversized hangings of pastel coloured sheets of writing paper and the large rosettes. Patrick Clark’s set is romantic and representational which allows for pieces to fly in and out, to create the different locations and let the actors have full use of the breadth of the space. Clark’s costumes are gorgeous. So the mood and the stage are set. 

Review: (Calgary) Pride and Prejudice

Poster art

Meeting Pride and Prejudice

by Joe Vermeulen
@YYZatcboy 

I suppose as a theatre and arts nerd I should probably be embarrassed that I have never been exposed to Pride and Prejudice before tonight. Sure I am familiar with the loosely adapted musical based on the same story “I Love You Because”, but I have never actually encountered the real thing. Well, Theatre Calgary sure put that right.

For those who are unfamiliar with the story I will summarize its beginning. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters are thrilled to learn that their new neighbor is both rich and young (not to mention single). After meeting the family Mr. Bingley, the new neighbor, throws a ball to meet the town. Soon it becomes clear that the eldest daughter Jane and Mr. Bingley are becoming an item. Offput by this, his friend Mr. Darcy and his sister Caroline contrive a way to draw him back to the city. In the process of doing this, Mr. Darcy scorns and insults Elizabeth, the second daughter...