THEATRE
Created by Bloomshed, adapted from Jane Austen
At Darebin Arts Centre until 10 Aug 2025
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***1/2 (3.5)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 16 Aug 2025. KH
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| Bloomshed's Pride and Prejudice_Darebin Arts Speakeasy_Syd Brisbane, Laura Aldous, Anna Louey, Elizabeth Brennan and Lauren Swain_photographer Sarah Walker |
Even if you’re a die-hard Jane Austen fan—or perhaps especially if you are—Bloomshed’s irreverent, chaotic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will absolutely tickle your taste buds.
Don’t expect a classical take à la the iconic BBC version starring the unforgettable Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This production swings wildly from parody to political satire, then back to pantomime—often within a single scene.
Staged atop a giant, circular platform decorated like a lavish wedding cake—complete with flourishes, rosettes, and even an oversized dessert fork—this version is anything but subtle.
Yes, the familiar faces are all there: the five Bennet daughters, their frantic mother, and long-suffering father, along with the usual romantic misadventures and obsession with marriage. But that’s where most of the resemblance ends.
Emily Carr plays Mrs Bennet as a manic, loud, and hilariously profane schemer desperate to marry off her daughters. Meanwhile, Mr Bennet is quite literally a potted plant—wilted, silent, and barely clinging to life. It’s absurd and oddly perfect.
James Jackson’s Darcy is pompous, socially inept, and impeccably buttoned-up, while James Malcher's Bingley bounces around like a clueless golden retriever. Laura Aldous doubles up brilliantly as the supercilious, hee-hawing Caroline Bingley and the outrageously flirtatious Lydia. Elizabeth Brennan shines as Lizzie—the sharp, proud heroine—and Anna Louey is charmingly sweet as Jane. Lauren Swain’s Mary is a goth obsessed with rifles, and poor Kitty (Syd Brisbane) remains mostly unnoticed... but that’s another story.
The performances are grotesque, exaggerated, and delightfully comedic. Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Malcher) is an over-the-top panto dame, while her daughter, Anne (Louey), appears as nothing more than a talking skull. No kidding.
The play’s modern lens draws sharp attention to enduring themes: romance, marriage, property, and the role of women as chattels needing a dowry to be “worthy.”
Highlights include wildly inventive choreography—an explosive mash-up of period dance and funky, sassy contemporary moves.
However, not everything hits the mark. Some moments drag, like the prolonged awkwardness at Lady de Bourgh’s tea party, and the final scene where Darcy and Lizzie break the fourth wall to question whether romantic hope is a lie. It's clever but feels unnecessary as an ending to an otherwise anarchic production.
Still, one thing’s for certain: you'll never look at Colin Firth—or Pride and Prejudice—the same way again.
By Kate Herbert
Cast:
- Elizabeth Bennet: Elizabeth Brennan
- Mr Darcy: James Jackson
- Mrs Bennet / Georgiana Darcy: Emily Carr
- Jane Bennet / Anne de Bourgh: Anna Louey
- Mary Bennet / Mr Wickham: Lauren Swain
- Kitty Bennet / Mr Collins: Syd Brisbane
- Lydia Bennet / Caroline Bingley: Laura Aldous
- Mr Bingley / Lady Catherine de Bourgh: James Malcher
- Mr Bennet: monstera plant
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