Pride and Prejudice

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Don’t tell me. Show me. The two hour and 45 minute production of Jon Jory’s adaptation of Jane Austin’s prized novel Pride and Prejudice playing at the Stage Theatre for The Denver Center Theatre Company relies heavily on narration by different characters. Narration can add a great deal to a production. Too much of a good thing backfires on its intent, which is exactly what happens in this case. It says point blank “there is too much material to cover in this play, so we’ll take a few cheapened short cuts.” Although the words themselves move the story line along, the actual narration stops the action in its tracks.

Nisi Sturgis as Elizabeth Bennet, David Ivers as Collins and Rick Stear as Mr. Darcy in the Denver Center Theatre Company production of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Photo by Terry Shapiro

On a gorgeous set designed by Vicki Smith, director Bruce Sevy makes creative use of the stage and balcony, moving the scenes smoothly from one point to another. Would that the characters could have moved as smoothly.

The gorgeous costumes designed by David Kay Mickelsen fit the period to a tee.

The very title, Pride and Prejudice, indicates electrical currents sizzle through the cast from the stage to the audience. No sizzling happens, no sparks of electricity spurred by denied sexual attraction happens, especially between Elizabeth Bennet played by Nisi Sturgis and Mr. Darcy played by Rick Stear. The words speak Pride and Prejudice, but the exploding tantalizing emotions demanding to accompany prideful and prejudicial reactions are flattened to non-existence dull and dreary.

This particular play wants to zero in on Elizabeth and Darcy’s strained relationship. When Elizabeth frolics with her four sisters, Mary (Kristen Sieh), Kitty (Jennifer Le Blanc), Lydia (Lori Prince), and Jane (Brenda Withers), Sturgis provides Elizabeth with saucy vim and vigor, losing her high-spirited persona encountering Darcy on a one to one level.

Wealthy, handsome, confident, and arrogant, Darcy needs to command the stage. He doesn’t. In fact, most of the male actors do not seem big enough to fill the shoes of their characters, appearing to rely on lines and costumes to carry them through. It doesn’t work.

Larry Paulsen who plays Mr. Bennet the father of five daughters has some wonderful lines that get lost in the fray by his wanting to be too cute and funny.

Inheritance law at that time-required estates be willed to a male. Mr. And Mrs. Bennet (Jeanne Paulsen) wanted a son. After five daughters, it didn’t happen. His estate is now willed to Parson Collins, a cousin, played by David Ivers, who has chosen a dull monotone appearance. Perhaps wanting to appear separate from the badly needed arrogant Pride and Prejudice wandering around loose out of its cage, or wanting to appear ministerial. Either way it didn’t read across the boards.

Father may have been giddy over not having a son, realizing if his daughters didn’t marry for money, they could, along with his wife, end up destitute. That certainly would make anyone giddy, but the giddy flew into silly cute distractions from his wonderful humorous lines. It appeared as though Paulsen forced his character into being, rather than just letting him flow.

One ten-second scene from the Balcony played tic-tac-toe on my spine with my horse sensibility. When it is noted that Darcy and Bingley (Steven Cole Hughes) ride by, they appear through the balcony windows on horseback, which would have been highly effective had they been sitting straight in the saddle, with stirrups set at the correct length, and their hands holding the reins correctly. Gentlemen of the time took great pride in their horses and breeding. Their confident arrogance bled over to their horsemanship, knowing they were as dashing in the saddle as they were walking across a ballroom. The horses procured, or created, for the production wouldn’t have gotten a second look from gentlemen of the time, and their lack of ten-second horsemanship would have gotten them laughed out of the social circle.

Talented Kathleen M. Brady who generally commands immediate attention on stage played Mrs. Gardner. Either her character got watered down or the role was just too small for her. With her simply just being there, several of Mrs. Gardner’s witty lines got lost. As Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Jill Tanner), Brady would have been “fantabulous”. Tanner, as Catherine, presented an adequate character. although her personality could have been blown up to an even greater extent.

I employ a number of techniques to keep focused and keep from zoning out when a play drags because the characters aren’t connecting. In this production, none of my techniques worked. During the middle of Act II I discovered I missed several lines simply because they missed me while a couple of not so subtle audience members captured my attention.

There are several humorous moments in the play and some wonderful lines coming straight from Austin, some of which the audience caught and many which they did not.

The five sisters when together sparkled somewhat. Prince’s impetuous Lydia keeps her spunk flying high. Knowing what side her bread is buttered on, she runs off with Collins, creating a terrified scandal within the family. Where these scenes should crackle with electric power over what this could mean to the entire family, they were just sort of there. Lydia enjoys being impetuous, and that does show. Surrounding her was the ho-hum “we have a scandal on our hands whatever shall we do?”

Some audience members have been leaving before the end of Act I, and some never return from Intermission, telling the story far better than anyone.

Part of the problem is the script, part directional, part actor personification, but what a contrast to the overwhelming awesome production of The Diary of Anne Frank playing in the Space Theatre. With a renewed interest in Jane Austin, particularly because of the movie Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway, it is a shame this production isn’t able to stand people on their heads.

If you have to choose, by all means catch The Diary of Anne Frank at the Space Theatre. If that’s sold out, go for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at the Buell Theatre. Two very distinct experiences delivering powerful impacts.