Spring Break
Theater Review: Pride and Prejudice rises above source material with good performances
Stephen Greenwell
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: Entertainment
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Casey shines in the leading role, showing equal amounts of emotion, wit and affection. Elizabeth is a complicated character, as she is an independent woman in a not-so independent setting for woman, and Casey plays her with an appropriate amount of class.
Likewise, Foehr steals scenes as Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth's father. He plays the character with a perfect amount of dry humor and sarcasm, and it nicely complements the bombast of Elizabeth's mother (Leah Kolb). Kidawski also provides some needed comic relief; Mr. Bingley is quite taken by Jane, which leads to awkwardly funny exchanges, like a seventh grader courting his first girlfriend.
However, do not take this as an admonishment of the rest of the cast. Simply put, it is hard for the actors cast in the "plain" roles to really excel.
Cullen and Blanchette are good as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham respectively, but the play does not provide them much to work with. It is hard to be interesting and compelling if your character mainly exists as a foil for others. Darcy and Wickham do not have many "zingers" in their dialogue, as opposed to the other leads.
The exception is Erin Condry, who does double duty as the conniving Miss Bingley and Elizabeth's aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. As Bingley, Condry infuses attitude into what little speaking lines she has; she comes off as such a heinous, snotty bitch, which is perfect for the character. Her performance is so convincing that it is hard to believe she also plays the supportive Gardiner, who frequently offers support to Elizabeth.
If I had to give Pride and Prejudice a score on the ole 10-scale, I'd tentatively give it a seven. The work of the student actors in the play is admirable, but it still can't elevate the play past the somewhat slow source material.
Likewise, Foehr steals scenes as Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth's father. He plays the character with a perfect amount of dry humor and sarcasm, and it nicely complements the bombast of Elizabeth's mother (Leah Kolb). Kidawski also provides some needed comic relief; Mr. Bingley is quite taken by Jane, which leads to awkwardly funny exchanges, like a seventh grader courting his first girlfriend.
However, do not take this as an admonishment of the rest of the cast. Simply put, it is hard for the actors cast in the "plain" roles to really excel.
Cullen and Blanchette are good as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham respectively, but the play does not provide them much to work with. It is hard to be interesting and compelling if your character mainly exists as a foil for others. Darcy and Wickham do not have many "zingers" in their dialogue, as opposed to the other leads.
The exception is Erin Condry, who does double duty as the conniving Miss Bingley and Elizabeth's aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. As Bingley, Condry infuses attitude into what little speaking lines she has; she comes off as such a heinous, snotty bitch, which is perfect for the character. Her performance is so convincing that it is hard to believe she also plays the supportive Gardiner, who frequently offers support to Elizabeth.
If I had to give Pride and Prejudice a score on the ole 10-scale, I'd tentatively give it a seven. The work of the student actors in the play is admirable, but it still can't elevate the play past the somewhat slow source material.
