Danisha Crosby Michael Brusasco (Mr. Darcy) and Kate Cook (Elizabeth Bennet) in Round House Theatre’s production of "Pride and Prejudice."

• 
• 
Kenton Yeager Kate Cook (Elizabeth Bennet), Heather Haney (Jane Bennet), Alice Gibson (Kitty Bennet), Laura Rocklyn (Lydia Bennet), Betsy Rosen (Mary Bennet), Rick Foucheux (Mr. Bennet), Catherine Flye (Mrs. Bennet) and James Konicek (Mr. Collins) in Round House Theatre’s production of "Pride and Prejudice."

Danisha Crosby Michael Brusasco (Mr. Darcy) and Kate Cook (Elizabeth Bennet) in Round House Theatre’s production of "Pride and Prejudice."

 

<< Prev

Next >>

More News

Thurmont to ask Congress to reimburse money spent during G-8

Takoma Park police aim to catch fleeing thieves

State chamber: Income tax hike will unfairly hurt Montgomery

Push for Shady Grove arena refueled

Frederick County teachers would receive higher pay raises under proposal

Theatre Review

by Larry Bangs

Adapting “Pride and Prejudice” for the stage presents at least two rather daunting challenges. The book was written with 61 chapters. There are many settings, both indoors and out, making it necessary for the director and the scenic designer to come up with a strategy for including all the essential material and keep it moving as efficiently as possible. Add to that the likelihood that the vast majority of the audience has either read the book or seen one or more of the many film versions. How to keep the audience well engaged when most of us know exactly what will happen next?

Undaunted, Director Blake Robison and Round House Theatre have succeeded in putting together a generally pleasing production. It succeeds far more often than not due to the considerable comedic acumen of several supporting characters. This is, as Blake points out in the program notes, “…a romance wrapped inside a comedy of manners.” The comedy is supplied most adroitly by Catherine Flye as the flibbertigibbet Mrs. Bennett, Rick Foucheux as the droll Mr. Bennett, Susan Lynskey as Caroline Bingley and James Konicek as the not so right Reverend Mr. Collins.

Flye is masterful with her flighty movements and nicely timed squeals of delight (or anguish depending on the situation). Foucheux depends on exquisite timing and understatement. Lynskey employs vocal fluctuations dripping with sarcasm and Konicek is the consummate clueless fool. Taken together, they form a nucleus of amusement and light-heartedness that carry this almost three-hour production.

The romance part of the equation gets off to a rocky start. Kate Cook handles the pivotal role of Elizabeth Bennett nicely, finding nuance and subtle shadings for her character throughout, all the while keeping her solid and unflappable — exactly as written. Michael Brusasco as Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, is a bit of a disappointment throughout the first act and particularly in the critical initial proposal scene when he is soundly rejected.

Darcy has been well established as snobbish and aloof. Brusasco plays those chords of his character emphatically at every turn during the first act. During the all-important proposal scene, he misses an opportunity to show some surprise and bewilderment, perhaps even a touch of humility that would logically follow a terribly awkward moment where he has made himself courageously vulnerable. He chooses instead to double down on his haughty righteousness. In doing so, he misses a moment where he might show something of his true character both to Elizabeth and the audience. As it is, he remains insufferable and leaves one wondering if there is any warmth whatsoever in this character.

To his credit, Brusasco turns things around in the second act and becomes quite endearing and believable in his surprise when he finds that the misunderstandings have been unwound and Elizabeth has altered her opinion of him.

The romance revolves around the pride, vanity and stubbornness unmasked between the two principles and evolves slowly and tantalizingly as only Jane Austen would have it. The deeply touching moments come when, faced with the truth, they see and own up to the unsightly flaws. Those moments are effective and quite moving even if the way chosen to come to them might have been better played.

The other challenge not met with great success is the staging itself. The set consists of a revolving quadrangle of rooms that use a wind-up key to set it off. The wind-up key is a curiosity. If they are attempting to suggest a toy-like environment reminiscent of “The Nutcracker,” it is not followed up. It seems to be there solely to help justify the existence of what becomes a merry-go-round of dizzying scene changes where time passed is generally disregarded.

It is successful in keeping the action moving as quickly as possible — a virtue where the first act alone runs beyond 90 minutes. But the scenic trickery calls too much attention to itself at the expense of the natural ebb and flow of the script. As the audience, we need occasions to take a breath and perhaps savor the scene that has just past. In this production, we are hurtled headlong into the next scene with the characters required for the next bit of action often intruding into the present moment. All too often, it is both distracting and confusing.

On the whole, “Pride and Prejudice” succeeds as a faithful staging of the timeless story Austen wrote in 1813. The comedy is highly entertaining and, when all is said and done, the romance is as heartfelt as she intended.