Roads to Joy

We realised this morning that we haven’t been to a live theatre show for years and years, pre-Covid actually, and possibly for a year before that. So our birthday treats, tickets to the intriguing comedy Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), had been eagerly anticipated since September. Every expectation was met!

I’d made a few preparations so as better to appreciate the nuances of the comedy, though we were told that the story would be expertly revealed by the characters throughout the play. But I was pleased to have a better idea of the thematic and narrative progression of Jane Austen’s masterwork, having acquired a recycled York Notes (Advanced) analysis through AbeBooks.

The five women on stage each played a variety of roles, so well that I suspended my disbelief when genders switched, and Mrs Bennet became Mr Darcy. It was lovely to experience the hilarity of manners, and the juxtaposition of perspective from our contemporary sensibility back and forth to Austen’s milieu. You might be surprised what a fulcrum of comedic material these two strategies elicited. But the proof was in the audience laughter throughout the show, and the standing ovation at the end.

A sheer delight, sharing the laughter, and a joy that will last through the weekend and on into the coming month, for sure.