Theater Review - 'Pride & Prejudice' by Theatre Fairfield

Fairfield - Theatre Fairfield, Fairfield University’s resident production company, is ending its 2021-2022 season with “Pride and Prejudice,” by Kate Hamill, adapted from the novel written by Jane Austen. “Pride and Prejudice” will be performed through April 9 at 7:30 pm, with a 2:00 pm matinee on April 9 and 10. The show is presented both live and in person in the Wien Black Box Theatre at the Quick Center for the Arts on Fairfield University's campus and via livestream from the comfort of one’s home.

Dr. Martha S. LoMonaco, a Professor of Theater and resident director of Theatre Fairfield, directed the students involved in the production. She writes that Hamill’s version of “Pride and Prejudice” is “a bold, boisterous, and timely adaptation with explosive energy.”
"Kate Hamill is quite literally kicking Jane Austen into the 21st American century, all the while honoring the pioneering spirit of Austen’s beloved novel. It's funny, frolicsome, and delightfully feminist.”

Her vision for the show was to celebrate the indomitable spirit of life, romance, and joy, which is centered around dance---both formal dances and the way each character dances through life in their own unique way. So the first act opens with dancing and the show also ends with the lovely choreography performed by the entire cast.

I learned from the virtual program that Kate Hamill is an actor and playwright who is most well-known for adapting classic novels into plays, most notably Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice.” The latter first premiered at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in 2017 at the Boscobel House and Gardens in Garrison, New York, with Hamill herself playing Lizzy Bennet and her husband, Jason O’Connell, playing Mr. Darcy.

The director notes that Hamill’s reimagining of Austen’s turn-of-the-19th century novel is filled with 21st-century mayhem and antics, including some gender-bending of classic Austen characters, with Mary is portrayed by a man while Mr. Bennet is played by a woman. However, dance remains at the heart of this world and Brad Roth worked with the students as Movement Choreographer.

“Notice how each character has their own movement vocabulary and style and how dance enlivens and expands their verbal interactions with each other. Dance also makes for delightful storytelling, providing a visual feast to accompany the quick repartee and verbal sparring so beloved of Austen’s characters.” Dr. LoMonaco believes that there is no better way to dramatize the book then to literally DANCE it to the astonishing beauty of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 18th-century music.

Carlin Fournier ‘22, who plays Mr. Darcy in the piece believes that there is a lot to relate to in these characters. “They always carry themselves in a certain way to seem normal in society. It
seems like we in the 21st century do the same thing, making sure that we act ‘normal’ in front of
the people we want to impress rather than just being ourselves."

Tracy Ferguson ’22 also leads the cast in the role of Lizzy. Lillie Kortrey ’23 plays both the eldest sister Jane and Miss de Bourgh, while Nora Jacobi ’25 appears as both Lydia, the youngest sister, and Lady Catherine. Angelo Corsini ’25 tackles the roles of Mr. Collins, Wickham and Miss Bingley.
Emily Sheridan ’24 portrays best friend Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Bennet, the apathetic father of four daughters. Margaret Fishman ’25 portrays Mrs. Bennet, the silly matriarch of the chaotic household, and various servants, while Dima Petramale ’25 is memorable as Bennet sister Mary. Chase O’Brien ’22 plays Mr. Bingley, Darcy’s friend/almost dog.

All of the students do very well with their various characters and are clearly well-rehearsed. There is a helpful character chart in the virtual program that shows the relationships of the characters.

The costume design by Julie Leavitt-Learson brings the characters into the correct era with flattering and colorful ensembles. Hair by Margaret Fishman ‘25 completed the looks.

Lighting Designer Porsche McGovern made sure that both the in-house and virtual audience members did not miss anything. Scenic Designer Karl G. Ruling made the most of the two-sided space. Jennifer Foster served as Voice & Dialect Coach.

Livestream patrons are sent a link and password to the private event via vimeo. The Login is for one performance only and will not work for other performance days/times. If you'd like to see the show again, you will need to buy a separate ticket.

I found the technical aspects of the livestream of the Thursday evening performance to be uneven. The two cameras used made the look of the stream most impressive and the lighting and sound contributed to my enjoyment of the performance. However, at times there was a delay in the focus of the camera, especially when the livestream went down. My computer screen froze a handful of times in the first act, causing me to miss some lines. The problem was worse in the second act, when if I clicked on the screen, the scene was essentially rewound until it went back to the live performance. Videographer Jay Martins ‘22 deserves the credit for the professional look of the stream.

Evening performances start at 7:30 PM and matinees begin at 2 PM. The show is in two acts with a 15 minute intermission. The first act is approximately 72 minutes and the second act is one hour long. Ticket holders may call the Quick Center Box Office, 203-254-4010, for assistance.
The link will be live 15 minutes before the start of the show. This event is performed live and is a one-time only viewing. No recording is permitted and is forbidden by law.

You can enjoy the interesting online Playbill and Digiturgy (the background research) online. Click HERE: https://www.theatre-fairfield....

Tickets are now on sale at the Quick Center Box Office: $10 general admission, $5 for all students. Call the Box Office at (203) 254-4010 or buy tickets online at
https://quickcenter.fairfield.edu/.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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