Original Publication Date: 1906Genre: play
Topics: love, marriage
Review by heidenkind:
This is a play adaptation of Pride & Prejudice from 1906 that's read in the style of a radio play. You can download it, like I did, at Librivox.
To be honest I wasn't expecting much from the play, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was really similar to the 1995 Pride & Prejudice miniseries, almost word-for-word in some scenes. Take, for example, the opening scene of the play:
Mrs. Bennet.[After a slight pause and laying down her knitting.]
My dear Mr. Bennet, did not you hear me? Did you know that Netherfield Park is let at last?
Mr. Bennet.[Continues reading and does not answer.]
Mrs. Bennet.[Impatiently.] Do not you want to know who has taken it?
Mr. Bennet.[Ceases reading and looks up at her with an amused smile.] You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.
Mrs. Bennet.[With animation.] Why, my dear, you must know Lady Lucas says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the North of England. His name is Bingley, and he is single, my dear. Think of that, Mr. Bennet! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand pounds a year. What a fine thing for our girls!
Mr. Bennet.How so? How can it affect them?
Mrs. Bennet.My dear Mr. Bennet, how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.
Mr. Bennet.Is that his design in settling here?
Mrs. Bennet.Design!—Nonsense! How can you talk so? But it is very likely that he will fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as you can. Consider your daughters, Mr. Bennet! Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them! Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go merely on that account. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not.
Mr. Bennet.[Who has risen during this last speech and now stands with his back to the fire, facing Mrs. Bennet.] You are overscrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you, and I will send a few lines to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls—though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.
Mrs. Bennet.[Sharply.] I desire you will do no such thing! Lizzy is not a bit better than the others. She is not half as handsome as Jane, nor as good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.
Sound familiar? Not everything is the same, of course, since a play doesn't have the advantages of different locations like a film does, but I thought the way the story was adapted to a four-act play was very clever. Elizabeth was just as smart and uncompromising as she is in the novel; and while Darcy wasn't quite as rude or interesting, I think he showed a lot more depth than he does some movie versions I've seen.
Of course, not everything works--Caroline Bingley, for instance, had a wildly inappropriate accent (think Diasy from Downton Abbey)--and if I saw this play performed live I'd probably think it was pretty cheesy. Overall, though, the voice performances worked and it was really easy to follow along with the audio.
If you like Austen adaptations, I definitely recommend listening to Mary Mackaye's play. It's only about three hours long and it's super-fun. I'm glad I took a chance on it.
Download Pride & Prejudice-A Play at Librivox|Project Gutenberg
