AUTHOR: MIRIAM COWAN
Last week CGGS Drama performed Pride and Prejudice, starring Stephanie Waldron as Elizabeth Bennet and Liam Prichard as Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Yvette Riordan and Ms. Natalie Waldron were the wonderful producers and directors. The production was a massive success! All of the tickets sold out several days before the opening night last Thursday.
I was able to see the second performance on Friday night. Members of the cast reported that the Friday performance was one of the most difficult as the whole crew were tired from the night before, but nevertheless the performance was a lot of fun to watch.
Anyone who has read the book or seen the movie or TV show Pride and Prejudice will have instantly been able to recognise their favourite memorable characters in the play. The standout performances were Steph as Elizabeth, the main character, and Gabriel Fallen (from Narrabundah) as Mr. Collins, her pompous cousin. Steph portrayed Lizzy’s cleverness and stubbornness perfectly, as well as her love for her family and her slow, reluctant fall for Mr. Darcy. Gabe was hilarious as Mr. Collins, with his running gags and his completely misplaced self-confidence. Both of them had great stage presence and pretty believable British accents.
Harriet Soanes as the overbearing Mrs. Bennet and Layla Brady as Elizabeth’s flighty sister Lydia were also fan-favourites. The two over-the-top characters were hysterical and melodramatic, causing problems for Lizzy and the rest of the Bennet family but always lightening the mood when they came on stage. And whenever the whole of the Bennet family was in a scene together—Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters—their interactions were funny, heartwarming, and very well-acted. Emma Nason as Jane was great as Lizzy’s beloved kind older sister, as she dealt with Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley trying to stop her from finding love with Mr. Bingley, played by Orlando Throsby. Lara Buchanan had some iconic lines and scenes as Lizzy’s unromantic younger sister Mary. Both Elyssia Heckman and Caitlyn Waters as Kitty were hilarious as she and Lydia made trouble together. Mr. Darcy, while unassuming in the first act, gave a much more nuanced performance in the second, following and including his heart-wrenching failed proposal.
The subtle antagonists of the show were especially good, convincing as they tried to manipulate Lizzy and Mr. Darcy apart. Liam Sarah as Mr. Wickham was great as he slowly revealed his true colours. Sera George as Caroline Bingley was brilliantly contemptuous of the Bennets’ country society. I loved her portrayal and wittiness even as I rooted for Lizzy and Jane to beat Caroline’s scheming and find true love. Manuri Arachchige was especially good as the imposing Lady Catherine De Bourgh, living up to all the other characters’ gossip.
All of our CGGS girls clearly understood their characters and were dedicated to portraying them faithfully, the main cast as well as Charlotte Lucas, Mrs. Gardiner, Mrs. Reynolds, Anne De Bourgh, and other wonderful characters. The boys from various schools around Canberra were great complements to the girls as Messrs Bennet, Bingley, Collins, and Gardiner. A few characters were still exhausted from opening night and stumbled over their lines once or twice, but were overall consistent.
The extras helped round out the ensemble for excellent full-cast ballroom scenes that really felt like we had been transported to Austen-era high (country) society. These scenes juggled the interactions between many characters with the well-coordinated spotlights transferring the audience’s attention to the important moments. A friend of mine with dancing experience explained that “sometimes in the dance choreography the spacing was a bit off.” Despite this, the ballroom scenes were still entertaining to watch, and it felt as though I was watching a real Regency period drama.
The tech crew helped make clear and clean-cut transitions between scenes as well. The simple but effective props and sets helped with this, and the script was clever in beginning one scene with the end of the last, making the whole play flow better.
The costume design was incredible, with almost every dress having both a casual layer and a formal ball gown to allow for quick and efficient transitions. The men’s attire had fewer moving parts but were no less impressive. The costumes of Lady De Bourgh and the soldiers were gorgeous. Every single piece had great attention to detail, although I can’t speak to the fashion accuracy of the era, and every character had a unique costume that reflected who they were.
All in all the performance—nearly three hours long—kept me entertained and in stitches the whole night! I was fully invested in the characters and their drama, and happy to see all of my friends on stage looking like professional thespians! It was amazing to watch all of their hard work of the past year pay off.
Special congratulations to the cast and crew, both teachers and students who helped pull off the incredible show!
CAST AND CREW
