Reviewed by Michelle Ewen

Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What if you took Jane Austen’s most popular novel, added a tower of Ferrero Rocher, a plethora of iconic pop hits and a life-sized horse on wheels? The answer, my dear, is Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) – a wickedly funny and outrageously irreverent take on the classic story of the Bennet sisters and their rocky road to lasting love. 

In a genius move, writer/director Isobel McArthur tells the story from the perspective of five ‘below the stairs’ maids who have an invisible hand in helping each sister get several steps closer to marriage (with more success than the meddlesome Mrs Bennet!). 

With an all-female cast of just five players portraying every single character in the Austen universe (both above and below the stairs), the stage is set for a rip-roaring entertainment-fest in which your next giggle is never more than a second away. 

With Naomi Preston Low expertly anchoring the action as the irrepressible Elizabeth Bennet and Christine Steel bringing sweetness and light as Jane Bennet, Rhianna McGreevy is free to showcase her exceptional range – switching effortlessly from potty-mouthed Mrs Bennet to the taciturn Fitzwilliam Darcy. 

Whether thrusting her breasts as chief antagonist Caroline Bingley or wrestling with a tube of Pringles as the hapless Charles Bingley, Emma Rose Creaner is hysterical. But the scene-stealing plaudits must go to Eleanor Kane, whose Mr Collins, once experienced, can never be forgotten!

An honourable mention must go to Mr Bennet, who is represented by nothing more than an armchair, newspaper and cloud of smoke in one of several inventive sight gags throughout the play. 

Other running themes include an impressive array of 1980s confectionery – from a plate of Wagon Wheels to a box of Viennetta ice cream. And, of course, there is always the (welcome) threat of a song around every corner, with the cast taking every opportunity to underpin each character or plot development with a tongue-in-cheek number. Highlights include Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, Chris de Burgh’s ‘Lady in Red’ and Pulp’s ‘Something Changed’. 

Comedy supervisor Jos Houben’s lightness of touch ensures no laugh is forced, while McArthur’s direction is imbibed with creativity and ease. Character transitions are helped enormously by the inventive wardrobe choices of multi-award-winning Ana Inés Jabares-Pita. A simple white dress for each maid creates the perfect canvas on which to layer on additional garments, which are whipped off and on before you can blink an eye. 

Above all, this play is about sisterhood – and the bond between the players feels very genuine. They look like they are having a ball on stage, which is an energy that translates to the audience, who need no prompting to rise to their feet for a well-deserved standing ovation. 

Back in 2018, McArthur and her fellow graduates fromThe Royal Conservatoire of Scotland were initially challenged by Andy Arnold, the Artistic Director of Glasgow’s Tron Theatre, to restage a classic. With an instant hit on their hands, the young company lost traction during the pandemic but, thanks to a collective effort from the theatre industry – and the considerable determination of producer David Pugh – this Laurence Olivier Award-winning play lived to see another day. It now stands as a testament to what can happen when talent meets opportunity meets resilience.  

Sometimes considered complex and unwieldly in its classic form, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is a modern-day rom-com triumph that anyone can enjoy. Just be prepared to go home with your cheeks sore from incessant smiling!

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is on at The Lowry until Saturday, 22 March tickets are available here.