The Gate Theatre stages Pride and Prejudice in Hong Kong
It is a universally acknowledged truth that a public-domain novel in possession of a larger following must be in want of an adaptation. The Gate Theatre of Dublin first staged in 1994 — before Colin Firth and his wet Darcy shirt changed the equation in a now-classic BBC miniseries — and the company's take on Jane Austen's 1813 book has stayed popular since.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
The Gate Theatre
It is a universally acknowledged truth that a public-domain novel in possession of a larger following must be in want of an adaptation. The Gate Theatre of Dublin first staged in 1994 — before Colin Firth and his wet Darcy shirt changed the equation in a now-classic BBC miniseries — and the company's take on Jane Austen's 1813 book has stayed popular since.
" is one of my all-time favourite novels, but it also set the form of novel writing. Its story is in many ways anti-romantic and certainly unsentimental as it deals with the problems of the Bennet family," says director Alan Stanford, referring to the household with five daughters of marriageable age — and the issue of inheritance — at the centre of Austen's story.
Presented as an Asian premiere at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Stanford's revival is based on a previous stage version that James Maxwell had faithfully developed from the novel. While Stanford stresses the importance of staying true to the language style of the time and the physicality of the characters, he is intent on keeping the essence of the book even with his own creative input.
"When we first approached it for rehearsal, I spent a long time reviewing the structure of the book and we decided to introduce the notion of Elizabeth [Bennet] as a character of narrative. If there was any particular inspiration for this version it was Jane Austin, who clearly speaks through the mouth of Lizzy. Both Michael Colgan as producer and myself as director wanted to give her a voice."
