By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO — Big thanks to Kate Hamill for rewriting Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in such a playful and accessible way. The cast did justice to the snappy, buffoonish, coquettish roles that Hamill created. The playwright sought to deliver Austen’s feminist message and did so in a way that engaged the multi-age audience.
Many of San Diego’s finest actors portrayed the well-known characters of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett (Adrian Alita and Shana Wride), Jane (Joy Yvonne Jones), Elizabeth “Lizzy” (Jacque Wilke), Mary (Kevin Hafso-Koppman) and Lydia (Michelle Marie Trester). Mr. Darcy, yes, that would be, Fitzwilliam Darcy (Steven Lone) and Wickham (Jake Millgard). These selfsame actors took on all of the other roles as well, cleverly using rear stage for a dressing room, for the audience to observe the donning or doffing of a wig, coat, smock or touring banner.
Director Rob Lufty, and choreographer Michael Mizerany collaborated with Vanessa Dinning to fine-tune accents, dialects, and movement, all the while preserving Austen’s integrity. Costumes and wigs were the bailiwick of Peter Herman, Shirley Pierson, Brandy Gates, and Taylor S. Payne. I, personally, loved Lizzy’s pink high top sneakers beneath her gown. Rachel Hengst provided props for this production, as she has in the past.
This production took the basic, familiar Austen story and elevated it to a new level of fun, chaos, irreverence, and tomfoolery. The actors seemed to be having as much fun as the audience, and it was clear from their camaraderie, that while they are hard at work, they are also hard at play.
Pride and Prejudice runs from May 15th through June 16th. There are a number of special events open to ticket holders. On May 24th the theater holds a Friday Forum at 8 pm. May 30th features a Wine Night. There are two pre-show events at 6:30 pm on June 5 and June 12 at 7 pm. On June 7th and 14th there are post-show happenings! For tickets to all performances and any of the special events, please contact the theater. Phone: 619.337.1525 or online at www.cygnettheatre.org
*
Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com