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Pride & Prejudice – Old Fitz Theatre (NSW)

Written by Kate Hamill. Directed by Emma Canalese

A lack of comedic cohesion costs the potential in this fresh look on the Jane Austen classic, Pride & Prejudice

Reviewed by Justin Clarke
Old Fitz Theatre, Woolloomooloo
Until 8th February, 2025
Tickets: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/pride-and-prejudice

Type: Comedy, Independent, Adaptation
If you liked: Fringe Comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, Bringing Up Baby [1938]

Jane Austen gets a screwball comedy makeover in Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in a production that seeks to be an indie-Fringe-styled romp, but falls short of providing many genuine laughs amongst the frivolity.

This is Austen’s work retold with the dial set to camp as the classic story of two seemingly disinterested lovers find their way into each other’s arms. Yes, we’re talking the defiantly anti-marriage Elizabeth, and the distant but alluring Mr. Darcy in a Pride and Prejudice that is filled with imperfect absurdities and theatrical spoofs directed by Emma Canalese.

Holly Jane-Cohle’s production design leaves the stage bare, apart from connected white lines of artwork sprawling across the three walls of the stage, intersecting with flowers, hands or books sporadically. Julianna Stankiewicz’s lighting design struggles to fill the void of the set, which is instead filled with the tomfoolery of our cast of eight.

Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.
Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.

Canalese struggles to take the reins of Hamill’s condensed version of Austen’s work where some characters are left on the cutting room floor, and others are given high-flung pantomime-esque energy. Hamill’s adaptation should allow us to pause amidst the comedy to reflect on the stark similarities of a woman’s situation some two hundred years on from when the original text was written. Sadly, this production doesn’t.

At its best, it feels like the makings of a gorgeous Fringe darling that could knock out audiences one by one with sharp comedic timing and direction. In its’ current form, it lacks cohesion and a firm hand to trim the comedic fat, so to speak. For instance, the rule of three in comedy is thrown out the window as Mrs. Bennet shrieks every time her oddest and youngest daughter Mary speaks. It’s humorous once, chucklesome the second, and tiresome by the third.  

Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.
Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.

Whilst some characters, such as AJ Evans Mrs. Bennet, brings an abundance of energy to the space in a parody-styled take on their characters, other counterparts are played straight with a sense of modernism that doesn’t fit into the comedic jigsaw puzzle. Some jokes fall completely flat, whilst others are extraordinarily on the nose (a punch performed whilst talking about punch drink), and some pause seeking laughter that never comes. 

This is not to say it’s devoid of humour altogether, on the contrary there are skilled actors amongst the piece that each play their parts diligently. Evans is on fire when given the sharpness to reign in the overbearing madness of Mrs. Bennet, whilst Dylan O’Connor leans into the range of characters he plays from the slimy Priest Wickham to the dapper but deceitful Mr. Collins. Idam Sondhi avoids a Colin Firth impression and brings his own upper-class attitude to Mr. Darcy opposite Abbey Morgan’s Elizabeth who is the most grounded of the characters. Meanwhile, Lucy Lock and Mym Kwa give their best rounded 18th Century British accents amidst the flurry of characters they take on.

Steve Corner and Victoria Abbott’s performances hit the nail on the head in a chaotic production.

But it’s Steve Corner and Victoria Abbott’s performances that hit the nail on the head in this chaotic production. Corner brings the show’s most genuine emotion towards the end of Act 1 when his Charlotte Lucas lands herself a husband meant for Elizabeth, while the dual role as the grumbling Mr. Bennet is played for laughs as he detests his wife’s egregious sense of womanly duty. Abbott’s stocky and stifled Mary is the highlight amongst the daughters as she quotes direct spotlight monologues and plays a melodic version of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ on an out-of-tune piano. Her double duty role of Mr. Bingley (who is treated and acts like a dog for some unknown reason) is done with a hearty commitment despite the nonsense.

Laughter is of course subjective and there was plenty scattered amongst the audience on opening night at the Old Fitz with the next few nights of the production also sold out. For me, the handling of the pacing, comedic elements and timing never fully came together harmoniously in the way that it should, or indeed could have with the cast and potential that this Pride and Prejudice has. 

Theatre Thought: In the subjective world of theatrical humour, where does the baseline of comedy become tiresome and when does it become inventive and fresh?

Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.
Pride & Prejudice, Old Fitz Theatre (2025). Images by Phil Erbacher.

Cast and Creative Team
Producing Company: The Artist Experiment & Dream Plane Productions
Playwright: Kate Hamill
Director & Choreographer: Emma Canalese
Producers: AJ Evans & Jess Zlotnick
Music Director: Osibi Akerejola
Production Designer: Holly Jane-Cohle
Lighting Designer: Julianna Stankiewicz;
Sound Designer: Mitch Brown
Stage Manager: Chris Starnawski
Dialect Coach: Felicity Jurd
Intimacy Coordinator: Shondelle Pratt

Cast (of 8): Victoria Abbott, Steve Corner, AJ Evans, Lucy Lock, Mym Kwa, Abbey Morgan, Dylan O’Connor, Idam Sondhi

This listing is updated as cast/creatives are confirmed in the lead-up to the production, and if there are changes to the team.

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