Pride and Prejudice
This play, dramatized by Helen Jerome, is based on the work of one of the most famous English writers of our time, Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice written in 1813 is perhaps her best known book and has seen many adaptations in terms of films, television series and books.
This production was first performed in London in 1936 with Celia Johnson playing Elizabeth Bennet and Anthony Quayle as Mr Wickham and the play is a worthy summary of the famous work. It is particularly written to take into account the underlying humour and sentimental comedy as originally intended. Mrs Bennet is determined to get her daughters married. Jane, Elizabeth and Lydia are likely looking girls in a period where a women’s one possible career is matrimony.
To be a wife was to be a success. Anything else is failure. Jane and her Mr Bingley and the wild Lydia with her wayward Mr Wickham are quite content with things as they are but not the heroine Elizabeth with her quick mind who actually refuses to marry the odious Mr Collins, who she openly deplores and Mr Darcy who she secretly adores. In summary the play is the story of the duel between Ms Elizabeth and her pride and Darcy and his prejudice. Each gives in and pride and prejudice meet halfway.
| Mr Bennet | Roger Mathewson |
| Mrs Bennet | Lynda Anning |
| Lady Lucas | Margaret Heeley |
| Charlotte Lucas | Helen Chapman |
| Elizabeth Bennet | Ashley Carroll |
| Jane Bennet | Jenny Nash |
| Lydia Bennet | Laura Hoad |
| Mr Darcy | Julian Davey |
| Mr Bingley | Chris Payne |
| Mr Collins | Doug Thomson |
| Mr Wickham | Tobias Ashton |
| Miss Bingley | Marie York |
| The Lady Catherine de Bourgh | Susie Barrett |
| Colonel Fitzwilliam | Dave Britton |
| Mrs Gardiner | Meg Henkus |
| Hill (The Butler) | Tony Golding |
| Maggie (The Maid) | Charlotte Guy |
| Directed by | Pam Hoad |
