On Stage: Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music.

Combine the talents of a brilliant actor, an internationally acclaimed violinist and a classical pianist to present a most loved romance novel and you have the delight that is Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music.

Playing at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio, as the name suggests this highly entertaining 90-minute show brings to life Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen’s  most famous and loved 1813 novel.

Its three stars – acting icon Nadine Garner, violinist Madeleine Easton and pianist Dan Lee –seamlessly work together to tell an abridged version of the book concentrating on the often-fraught love affair between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy.

A Regency era decorated drawing room is the setting for the show which according to Easton is how Jane would have first read the story aloud to her family and friends in the 1800s.

Easton and Lee start the show with Easton entertainingly explaining the social norms of English society in Austen’s era. Complementing this introduction is music of the time including Schubert, Beethoven and Mendelssohn pieces together with Regency era dance tunes.

Of course, no presentation of Pride and Prejudice would be complete without the Carl Davis music score from the much-loved BBC TV drama.  This music features heavily in both Easton and Lee’s introduction and throughout Garner’s brilliant narration.

From the moment she steps on stage dressed in a grey coat, waistcoat and boots and reads that first famous line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” you know it’s going to be a special performance.

Vocal changes, extremely expressive facial movements including lots of raised eyebrows, smiles, smirks and scowls and posture changes see Garner expertly morph into the main players.

Thanks to her performance there’s no doubting the angst and pride and prejudice experienced by Elizabeth and Darcy in the early days of their relationship or Mr and Mrs Bennett’s attitude towards their daughters.

Her representations of Mr Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh through her physical actions and accents are extremely humorous.

More importantly thanks to her presentation she’s able to highlight Austen’s witty and insightful observations of England in Regency times.

As a result, Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music is a winner on numerous fronts.  Not only is there the chance to watch excellent performances and to hear the amusing and entertaining words of Austen, there’s also the chance to revisit the past and appreciate the appeal of a literary reading in an English drawing room.

Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music  is playing at the Arts Centre Fairfax Studio Melbourne until October 6. Visit Arts Centre Melbourne website for more information and tickets.

Jenny Burns attended the opening night of Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music as a guest of the production company.

*Photo credit: Nico Keenan