“Pride & Prejudice – An Adaptation in Words & Music” is playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne this week. I attended a preview performance on Saturday (28th), where I was transported into the world of Pride and Prejudice.
The experience begins with established violinist Madeleine Easton and pianist Daniel Le, who perform a delightful selection of pieces from the Regency Era. This sets the mood and tempo of the period in which Pride and Prejudice is set. Only after the audience is immersed in the music, including compositions by Carl Davis (composer of the 1995 TV series adaptation), does the reading itself begin.
Nadine Garner doesn’t portray a particular character from the novel, but instead takes on the role of a narrator in a drawing room reading. With a book in hand, she brings to life classic lines and moments from the novel (albeit in an abridged form). Garner doesn’t simply read; with her decades of stage and screen experience, she infuses the text with vitality, effortlessly moving through the various elements of the set, much to the delight of the audience.
While most theatrical productions focus primarily on the actors, I found the balance between Garner’s recitation interspersed with the music from Easton and Le created a harmonious appreciation of all the performers on stage.
However, two elements broke the spell of immersion in Austen’s world. Firstly, the pages of Garner’s leather-bound book were highlighted in various colours, which reflected brightly under the stage lights (possibly due to UV lighting). While this may not affect the short-sighted, I found it slightly distracting. Secondly, midway through the performance, a stagehand briefly came on stage to rearrange the sofa and pick up a few items. This felt unnecessary, though it was likely a minor change for the preview performance.
Overall, fans of Pride and Prejudice—whether of the novel or one of its screen adaptations—are in for a treat and should seize the chance to see this 90-minute production during its short season. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the story but enjoy chamber music by Schubert, Mendelssohn, or Beethoven, this performance is worth attending. I only had a vague knowledge of the plot beforehand, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Bookings: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2024/theatre/pride-and-prejudice
Performance dates & times
Friday 27 Sep7:00 PM
Saturday 28 Sep3:00 PM, 7:00 PM
Sunday 29 Sep1:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Wednesday 2 Oct7:00 PM
Thursday 3 Oct7:00 PM
Friday 4 Oct7:00 PM
Saturday 5 Oct3:00 PM, 7:00 PM
Sunday 6 Oct1:00 PM
