Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Jane Austen.

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 128

Beschreibung

This unique take on Jane Austen's beloved novel is an adaptation like no other, drawing on over two hundred years of romantic pop history, and featuring five young women with a story to tell. You might have seen them before, emptying the chamber pots and sweeping ash from the grate; the overlooked and the undervalued making sure those above stairs find their happy ending. Of course, these women have always been running the show – after all, 'You can't have a whirlwind romance without clean bedding' – but now the servants are also playing every part. Let the ruthless match-making begin! Isobel McArthur's acclaimed Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) was first produced in 2018 by theatre company Blood of the Young at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, before a UK tour the following year, produced by the two companies and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. It transferred to the Criterion Theatre in London's West End in October 2021. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an amateur company in want of an irreverent all-female adaptation of a literary classic to perform, need look no further. 'Isobel McArthur's roistering all-female pop musical adaptation remains unexpectedly true to the novel's familiar twin themes of hidden passions and economic hardships... There are laughs aplenty, both period and modern, as the cast exchange roles and genders at break-neck speed... It would have won the approval of Austen herself' - The Stage Frankly sensational... the shocking truth of Isobel McArthur's smart, riotously funny five-woman adaptation is how faithful it is to Austen while being gloriously entertaining' - Variety 'A total blast of hilarity from start to finish... sticks faithfully to Austen's brilliant story while opening it up into a riot of fun, colour and mischief-making. It is dramatic re-invention at its most enjoyable and if Austen aficionados don't enjoy it just as much as Austen virgins, I'll eat my pink Regency bonnet' - WhatsOnStage 'Unfettered joy from start to finish' - Herald 'A raucous and transgressive, yet surprisingly faithful, adaptation... the gags are plentiful' - Guardian 'Clever, funny, feminist, and not even shy, in the end, of a few powerful moments of true romance' - Scotsman

Leseprobe

Isobel McArthur

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*sort of )

After Jane Austen

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Introduction

Original Production Details

Characters

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of )

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

IntroductionIsobel McArthur

On the Origins and Spirit of the Show

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of ) was first performed at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow in 2018. I suspect that it is the inherent humour and heart of Glaswegian audiences which initially imbued this text with the flare, wit and generosity of spirit that I hope are still at the core of it. It should feel affectionate-whilst- knowing, front-footed, funny, fourth-wall-breaking and utterly celebratory.

On Music

In the original production, songs were sung over specially composed karaoke backing tracks, with some live instrumentation performed by the actors.

Whilst designed to be performed by five actor-musicians, the show need not necessarily demand instrumentation or professionally trained singers. As with delivery of any karaoke performance, passion is the most essential ingredient.

On Multirolling

This is an adaptation that adores its source text. However, a further layer of reality and humour presents itself because of multirolling and the pace of that in live performance. The joke that we are all in on (that there are only just enough pairs of hands to pull this off) forms a big part of the overall presentation of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of ) – and much of an audience’s enjoyment can be derived from seeing which performer will pop up next, and as which character, if they will make their costumes change in time for their next entrance, etc. There is a sense of impressive resourcefulness in seeing five actors play all the parts – in a way that speaks to the circumstances of many of the women in Jane Austen’s novels – but that also amuses audiences and stretches performers. This means that some of the characters can be worn lightly and, in many moments, the personality of the actor can shine through. I would encourage anyone approaching the text to experiment with these elements in production.

On Accent and Dialect

Parts of this script were written with specific actors in mind. Where many period dramas are dominated by received pronunciation (RP), our original ensemble drew on their own regional-accent diversity to build the characters, meaning we heard voices from Glasgow, Newry, Aberdeen, Manchester, West Yorkshire, Edinburgh and more. There are many words which sit better in different mouths (‘wee’, ‘mard-arse’, etc.), and which are ways of speaking particular to these different regions. Anyone performing the show should feel free to alter these words to something which suits the natural voice of the performer in each case.

On Casting

I’m sure we all know just how important it is to create more opportunities for female performers to play a wide range of nuanced, interesting and varied roles in the theatre. However, there are also many artistic reasons why an all-female cast is so perfect for the telling of this particular story. Pride and Prejudice is about the plight of five daughters. Their future hangs in the balance because none of them were born male. So, at its very heart, this was always a woman’s story.

However, the book is also set during the Napoleonic Wars (something less frequently touched on in adaptations), meaning a disproportionate amount of household servants were women at the time. Indeed, fines were imposed for hiring male servants who might otherwise be usefully employed as soldiers. It seemed crucial that a story so tied up in class and societal status (and one which, itself, has been afforded such a lofty degree of cultural capital) was told by servants. But it also made historical sense for these servants to be women. This way, we watch five women embody their employers, including those who are men, in an act of doubly transgressive triumph.

Jane Austen could not publish under her own name during her lifetime because of her gender. I’m lucky enough to live in a time when I can put my name – and hers – on the front of this book and we, as a company, are all so grateful to her for writing this brilliant story.

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of ) was first performed at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, on 29 June 2018, produced by Tron Theatre Company and Blood of the Young. The play was subsequently revived on tour of the UK in 2019, produced by the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Tron Theatre Company and Blood of the Young, with co-producers Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse, Northern Stage, Nuffield Southampton Theatres and Oxford Playhouse. The cast was as follows:

TORI BURGESS FELIXE FORDE CHRISTINA GORDON HANNAH JARRETT-SCOTT ISOBEL MCARTHUR MEGHAN TYLER

Director

Paul Brotherston

Designer

Ana Inés Jabares-Pita

Musical Supervisor

MJ McCarthy

Lighting Designer

Simon Hayes

Sound Designer

MJ McCarthy

Choreographer

EJ Boyle

Associate Director

Shilpa T-Hyland

Dramaturgy

Johnny McKnight

Associate Designer

Anna Orton

Associate Sound Designer

Calum Paterson

Casting Director

Laura Donnelly

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of ) transferred to the Criterion Theatre, London, on 2 November 2021 (previews from 15 October), with David Pugh presenting Tron Theatre Company, the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Blood of the Young’s production (original direction by Paul Brotherston), with co- producers Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse, Northern Stage and Oxford Playhouse. The cast was as follows:

TORI BURGESS CHRISTINA GORDON HANNAH JARRETT-SCOTT ISOBEL MCARTHUR MEGHAN TYLER

Understudies ANNABEL BALDWIN LEAH JAMIESON

Directors

Isobel McArthur and Simon Harvey

Comedy Staging

Jos Houben

Designer

Ana Inés Jabares-Pita

Lighting Designer

Colin Grenfell

Musical Supervisor

Michael John McCarthy

Sound Designer

Michael John McCarthy and Luke Swaffield for Autograph

Choreographer

Emily Jane Boyle

Casting Director

Sarah Bird

Company Manager

Mark Vince

Deputy Stage Manager

Jackie Ellis

Assistant Stage Managers

Jodie Day and Lizzy Gethings

Wardrobe Mistress

Megan Keegan

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE*(*sort of)

Isobel McArthurafter Jane Austen

Characters

SERVANTS

A phalanx of housekeepers, chambermaids, cooks and other servant staff from Miss Austen’s novels. They transcend all worlds, all times and steer the course of the action in ways unnoticed by the master characters. They include…

ANNETILLIECLARAFLOEFFIE

…all of whom play the servants of any household, as required.

MASTERS

MRS BENNET, mother to five unmarried daughters

MR BENNET, her husband (played by a chair)

JANE BENNET, the eldest Bennet daughter. Beautiful

ELIZABETH BENNET, the second-eldest Bennet daughter. Our heroine

MARY BENNET, the middle Bennet child. A social outcast. Nervous, bookish. A certain kind of intelligent

KITTY BENNET, the second-youngest Bennet daughter. Never seen. Competes with Lydia

LYDIA BENNET, the youngest Bennet at fifteen. Precocious

MR COLLINS, their cousin. A slimy clergyman

CHARLOTTE LUCAS, best friend to Elizabeth

CHARLES BINGLEY, a rich, single young man. Extremely affable

MISS CAROLINE BINGLEY, his insufferably snobby sister

FITZWILLIAM DARCY, another rich, single young man. Best friends with Bingley. Reserved. Prone to negativity

GEORGE WICKHAM, a very charming and handsome soldier

LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH, Darcy’s incredibly rich aunt

MRS GARDINER, aunt to the Bennet girls. Likeable, caring

Multirolling

ACTOR 1 – Flo, Mrs Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy

ACTOR 2 – Tillie, Charlotte Lucas, Charles Bingley, Miss Bingley

ACTOR 3 – Effie, Elizabeth Bennet

ACTOR 4 – Clara, Jane Bennet, George Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh

ACTOR 5 – Anne, Mary Bennet, Lydia Bennet, Mr Collins, Mrs Gardiner

Multirolling can get complicated. Fast costume changes and strong characterisation from a talented multirolling cast will be necessary to maintain clarity and pace throughout.

Music

The piece features karaoke songs, usually sung over a backing track. There will occasionally be live instrumentation – largely played by the servants. Incidental/textural/atmospheric sound is also used to tell the story.

Text

Should generally go at a right lick.

Note on Text

Lines sung or spoken on microphones appear in bold. (This script suggests a convention of speaking letters on microphones – but this can be experimented with.)

A forward slash (/) indicates the point at which the following line of dialogue overlaps.

Decoding the Names of Some Domestic Locations

Longbourn – the Bennets’ house

Netherfield – the house Charles Bingley rents in Meryton

The Parsonage – Mr Collins’ house

Rosings – Lady Catherine’s house

Pemberley – Darcy’s house

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

ACT ONE

Pre-Show

As the audience arrive, we can hear servants’ bells ringing. Five SERVANTS in Regency-era dress emerge from a small door ‘below stairs’. Cries of ‘coming’ as bells ring and they leave and re-enter the stage.

There are books strewn everywhere, and the SERVANTS must dust the bookshelves and tidy them all away. They push a piano into the space for dusting.

A chandelier is hoisted down by one SERVANT so another can dust it. The height is repeatedly misjudged by the absent-minded hoister who sends the chandelier higher and higher, so that the dusting SERVANT must climb the stairs to get at it. It is increasingly precarious with the hoister eventually getting distracted by a ringing bell and letting the rope go altogether! The chandelier falls through the air, about to smash on the floor – when another SERVANT catches the rope at the last minute. The chandelier is saved, but the action has sent the SERVANT into the side of the bookcase, from which all the carefully arranged books now fall, making a mess. They are back to square one.

Music will be needed to boost morale.

Scene One – Prologue

One SERVANT begins to sing – an opening song – Elvis Costello and the Attractions’ ‘Everyday I Write the Book’ with a cry of –

TILLIE. Good evening!

– at the top of the instrumental.

The song concludes.

The books are cleared away.

They address the audience. They are welcoming, polite – but playful, too. EFFIE is exhausted and sits apart.

TILLIE. Alright?

CLARA. Now! You’ve all come to enjoy Miss Austen’s famous story –

ANNE. We know – we’ve been expecting you.

TILLIE (looking at the audience’s expressions). But maybe yous weren’t expecting us?

FLO. Or, you were expecting us to pop in now and then –

TILLIE. At the tinkle of a bell –

CLARA. Serve the tea –

ANNE. And then piss off.

FLO. To make room for the main characters.

CLARA. In all Miss Austen’s great novels there are masters –

TILLE. And there are servants.

CLARA. Romantic heroes –

TILLIE. and brief cameos.

CLARA. And whilst some go about their lives of leisure searching for love –

TILLIE (holding one). Others, empty pishy chamberpots.

CLARA. But know this: servants are integral to love stories.

ANNE. You try having a whirlwind romance without –

TILLIE. Clean bedding.

ANNE. And, you know what else – (Conspiratorial.) the smallest action can change the whole story.

CLARA (also conspiring). Think about it – we pull the strings. We actually make it happen.

FLO. By delivering a letter that bit slower or topping up a glass that bit quicker – !

ANNE. Before you know it – the lovers are walking off arm-in- arm into the sunset –

TILLIE. All thanks to us.

A collective sigh of satisfaction.

CLARA (less convinced). It’s such satisfying work. Seeing them all happy like that. And knowing that we did our bit.

Beat. Strained smiles.

FLO. Shame about the wee… oversight on Miss Austen’s part.

ANNE. You see there’s –

TILLIE. No ever-after for us.

CLARA. No love interests. And –

EFFIE (forlorn). No ending.

They turn and look at EFFIE. They mustn’t give in to sadness.

FLO (unconvincingly). Still – it’s reassuring to have job security –

TILLIE. For all eternity.

ANNE. And they say servants who work hard are never short of true friends.

Energy. Sharing smiles. They’ll do it for each other.

CLARA. So! You may not have spotted the servants – but rest assured, we were always there –

TILLIE. Ready –

FLO. Primed –

CLARA. Waiting for the bell to ring.

TILLIE. We have been doing this since 1796.

FLO. Nothing shocks us – !

ANNE. We are always dependable –

CLARA. In fact – indispensable!

TILLIE (a warning to the audience). And you, masters of households shouldn’t forget, we’ve seen everyone –

ANNE. Absolutely everyone –

ALL. Naked.

Beat. They look at the audience.

CLARA. So, now that we all ‘know our place’…?

TILLIE takes a green piece of costume over to EFFIE. EFFIE looks up and smiles for the first time. She takes it.

FLO. Let’s begin!

Everyone moves to their beginners’ places.

Scene Two

Everyone leaps into action – a colossal Regency dressing screen placed to establish ‘Longbourn’ as the SERVANTS address the audience.

CLARA. The story starts here. A sleepy wee place, about halfway between London and Cambridge, called – Meryton.

ANNE. There’s a bit of a problem with emotional repression here.

FLO. So don’t be surprised if people burst into song every now and again.

ANNE. For the ladies, in particular, there’s very little to do.

CLARA. So they’re reliant on a steady import of gossip to help pass the time. Luckily, this week brought the exciting news that the landlord of Netherfield Park has finally found a tenant!

All running on gossip like fuel – !

FLO. One Charles Bingley. And he’s not local.

CLARA. No – this man is new! Just moved to the area –

ANNE. And not only is he rich enough to rent a place like Netherfield –

FLO. With a fortune to live off besides –

CLARA. He’s also young, handsome and single.

ANNE. Tonight is the monthly town ball! A chance for all the locals to meet this new wealthy resident.

CLARA. Just as well – Meryton is home to many unmarried ladies. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man, in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

All at once lights change, the SERVANTS disappear, noises of a scrap and MRS BENNET is spat out from behind the screen.

MRS BENNET. I give up! You are all impossible! (Ringing a bell.) Tillie!

TILLIE enters.

TILLIE (to the audience). Welcome! This Meryton household is known as Longbourn. And it is home to the Bennet family.

MRS BENNET. Tillie!

TILLIE. Coming! (To audience.) This is my mistress, Mrs Bennet. Mother to five unmarried daughters.

MRS BENNET. Help the girls on with their dresses, Tillie, or we’ll be late. Oh, it’s too much pressure… (Sucking on her inhaler.)

TILLIE tightens the bodice of someone behind the dressing screen and addresses the audience.

TILLIE. She’s a wee bit tense. You see, if the girls don’t have husbands when their da dies, they’ll all be destitute. Mrs Bennet included. Because in Regency-era England, women can’t inherit money or property.

A yelp from behind the screen.

– Just breathe in a little, miss – I know that’s all changed since, but you can understand the logic at the time. Spinsters