REVIEW | Pride and Prejudice, Illyria

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Hollie

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

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In its 32nd year, Illyria Productions bring to the stage and to outdoor theatre venues across the country, the classic Jane Austen romance Pride and Prejudice. With humour from the outset, when Mrs Bennett, played by Sarah Pugh, appears on stage with her binoculars looking for a suitor for one of her five daughters, this production had the audience laughing all evening.

With picnics and prosecco and a perfect English summer evening, the audience of families, couples and children thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of the classic novel, in the grounds of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A small cast of five actors took to the outdoor stage to perform the role of various characters within the story. 

Everyone is aware of Mrs Bennett’s obsession with marrying one if not all of her daughters to respectable men across the country, and she encourages her daughters to make haste throughout the show! Oohs and Aahs came from the audience when Mr Darcy, played by Chris Wills, appears for the first time and he declares that he finds Elizabeth Bennet only tolerable. There is a distinct difference between Mr Darcy and his charming friend Mr Bingley who takes a liking to Jane Bennett, played by Rosie Zeidler, Elizabeth’s sister. 

The cast of five actors have a breadth of experience between them and they have performed in Illyria’s previous productions including; ‘The Pirates of Penzance,’ ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Frankenstein.’ The minimal props and scenery allow for the story to be told by the actors and their words and they should be very proud of their performances. 

The will they won’t they romance carries on between Elizabeth, played by Nicola Foxfield, and Mr Darcy throughout the play, even after Elizabeth’s rejection of Mr Collins, her first cousin. The awkwardness and tension builds throughout and Elizabeth has to question everything when Mr Darcy speaks to her about his thoughts and feelings. 

Correspondence between the characters happens through a series of letters, and this is told in a hilarious way throughout the performance, even though the audience already knows what the character’s reactions are going to be. The moments in the carriage when the characters are traveling between each country house, are also a moment of delight and hilarity for the audience. 

Watching the show in an outdoor setting amongst the stars is part of the appeal of Illyria’s productions. From the outset when you arrive, the cast who are selling programmes, give you a feel of the evening ahead. Chris Wills, who plays Mr Darcy was entertaining before and during the show and really got the audience excited for the evening ahead. 

I would highly recommend a visit to one of Illyria’s other productions, ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Robin Hood,’  which are currently touring around the United Kingdom. 

Illyria’s performances of Pride and Prejudice continue throughout August and September at a variety of venues including: The University of Dundee Botanical Gardens, Calne Pocket Park in Chippenham and Hatfield Forest in Bishops Stortford. All information on what’s on can be found here.