REVIEW: Part TED Talk, Part Staged Reading, PRIDE & PREJUDICE AN ADAPTION IN WORDS AND MUSIC is And Enlightening And Entertaining Look At The Well Known Classic

Thursday 15th August 2024, 7pm, The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House

PRIDE & PREJUDICE AN ADAPTION IN WORDS AND MUSIC shines a light on two important elements that go into understanding the Regency world that underpins Jane Austen’s famous novel of manners.  Bringing together acclaimed Singaporean born pianist Melvyn Tan, Australian violinist Madeleine Easton and actor Nadine Garner, Director Tyran Parke delivers an engaging and educational and somewhat unexpected evening of theatre.

First published in 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has never been out of print in the intervening two centuries with over 20 million copies sold with countless adaptations for all varieties of media.  This work is another of those adaptations, this time by Gill Hornby and Carl Davis, the composer responsible for the wonderful score to the BBC’s 1995 mini-series.  For this production, Parke and the performers chose to expand on the original one-hour work that forms the second act of the show by presenting a first act that delves into the music that would have been a score to Austen’s story and ultimately did inform the music that Davis composed for the well-loved series.  Narrated by violinist Easton and accompanied on piano by Melvyn Tan, for whom the Davis’ score was originally composed, the audience is treated to an enthusiastic TED talk that provides insight into music of composers like Mozart, Schubert, Ludvig Beethoven and Mendelssohn that would have been filling the drawing rooms and reception halls of the early 1800’s and the importance of those social spaces in a world where it matches were made in the course of a dance, well before speed dating and swiping right. 

The second act is framed as the public readings that made many works of literature more accessible to more people, drawing on the understanding that Jane herself would have entertained her family and friends with readings of her own works.  While previous productions have presented PRIDE & PREJUDICE AN ADAPTION IN WORDS AND MUSIC as a more static work, Parke ensures that performer Nadine Garner’s talents are fully utilized as she adds life to the story with wonderful physicality and brilliant vocal characterizations, all underpinned by Davis’ music presented by Tan and Easton.

With an artistic expression of a Regency Drawing room complete with piano, paintings, antique style sofa and Davenport ladies desk, set and costume designer Mikailah Looker sets a perfect stage for Garner’s storyteller to inhabit.  While the promotional material implies that Garner will inhabit a traditional view of Austen in an Empire line dress Looker gives Gardner as more masculine styling with dramatic embroidered velvet coat, waistcoat and riding boots, allowing her to capture the male characters with greater ease. Matthew Tunchon’s lighting adds variety to the staging heightening the suspense, drama and comedy.

This work is a delight to experience, both for the historical education, the opportunity to experience two talented musicians in Tan and Easton and the chance to experience a brilliantly abridged version of the well-known story, bought to life by Garner.  Tyran Parke’s ability to take a work and lift it to the next level by ensuring that all involved present the work with passion and purpose ensures that this work is heartwarming and fun with a good dose of the unexpected.  Whether you are well versed with the source material or have a connection through the screen adaptations rather than the text, or even a student needing to study the novel, PRIDE & PREJUDICE AN ADAPTION IN WORDS AND MUSIC is a brilliant piece of theatre well worth seeing. 

https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/theatre/pride-and-prejudice

https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2024/theatre/pride-and-prejudice

Photos: Robert Catto

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