Jane Austen’s universally acknowledged truth, “that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,” begins one of the world’s most famous novels — and UP Theater’s much-anticipated adaptation of it.
On Wednesday, the theater program kicked off their production of “Pride and Prejudice,” which runs from April 9-12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mago Hunt Center. The season will close with a matinee showing of the play on April 13 at 2 p.m.
While the crowd might expect the frilly, uptight coats and restrained 19th-century decorum of the original novel and its film adaptations, Portland-based director Jenna Tamimi has reimagined Austen’s work as “ripe with queer potential,” inviting new explorations of desire that are lost on traditional readings of the play.
Actors performing in "Pride and Prejudice." Photo courtesy Emily Hogan by Rowan Lowery
Parts of Austen’s story — about the Bennet family’s efforts to marry its daughters amid a rigid social order — are read aloud, though much of the script was devised collaboratively among the director and performers.
The story begins as 14 performers, each holding a different book, respond to the play’s first question: “Have you ever read a book and felt…”
One says, “inspired.” Another says, “loved.” Others say “captivated,” “seen” and “transformed.” They speak the names of legendary writers, such as Oscar Wilde, Tennesee Williams and Ashley Herring.
Then, one name cuts through — Jane Austen — and the cast recites the novel’s opening words in unison.
But what follows isn’t a mere reenactment of the original plot.
Throughout the play, offstage actors break the fourth wall to read quotes from novels spanning the centuries, from Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” to “Matilda” by Roald Dahl. Frequently, the actors break away from the script to share stories, to the audience and each other, about the literary works that made them feel seen and understood.
Tamimi’s “Pride and Prejudice” is also a chance to remember what we love about the novel and its characters, but with a twist: Some actors play more than one character.
For example, Jacqulynne Sample perfectly captured both Mrs. Bennet’s and Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s melodrama with emphatic screams and pompous gasps.
Or consider the six actors cast as Lizzy and Mr. Darcy — each marked by a flower pinned to their costumes — who brought their distinct personalities and identities to the performance, adding a new layer of complexity to their relationship.
Having the actors play several roles also challenges rigid interpretations of Austen’s work. For example, through queer Lizzy-Darcy actor pairings and near-uniform costuming, the production resists a reading that over-emphasizes heterosexual love and desire — all while keeping the romance at the center of the narrative.
All throughout, the cast delivered a performance that was witty, vulnerable and provocative — and their lived experiences with literature were compelling from beginning to end.
I left the theater feeling charmed, amused and pensive. How can we re-read old works in new, inclusive ways? And how can those readings be brought to the stage?
For the next few days, you can see for yourself.
Riley Martinez is the copy and opinions editor for The Beacon. He can be reached at martinri24@up.edu.
