It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an independent theatre company in possession of an award-winning adaptation of a well-known book, must be in want of a mainstage season.
It’s
difficult to envision what the evolution of an arts career might look like in
Melbourne in the future. Given funding cuts, the loss of venues and a cost of
living crisis, there are no clear paths from making work on the fringes to
being exposed to larger audiences.
Being so
good you can’t be ignored only takes you so far these days. A company like
Bloomshed has an accumulation of incredible work behind them – most of which is
award-winning or critically lauded.
This year,
their acclaimed adaptation of Animal Farm is on at Arts Centre Melbourne in August, and
their recent hit Pride & Prejudice has been programmed at the Malthouse. It’s
an astonishing one-two punch for the indie company and it’s about time.
I raved about the first season of this show at Darebin Arts Centre, back in August of
last year. I already said then it was “not to be missed” – where do I go from
there?
Somehow,
given time, resources and a team of rigorous thinkers and passionate artists,
Bloomshed has regrouped and made the show even better than it was the first
time around. It’s so rare for shows to get a second life, but even when it does
happen, artists are conditioned to recreate the magic that sparked interest in
the first place.
Bloomshed
has never rested on their laurels before and their history is dotted with
remounts and remakes and fresh versions of old works. This year’s Animal Farm
will likely resemble the 2023 season at Darebin, completely reworked from their
original conception that was staged in 2021.
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This is
Bloomshed’s Pride & Prejudice (Malthouse version) with a two-tiered cake
set and a polished script which absolutely sings. It’s still got the agonisingly
lengthy (and hilarious!) tea-drinking scene. It’s still got Syd Brisbane doing
double-duty as Mr Collins and the oft forgotten fifth Bennet sister, Kitty. And
the characters are gorgeously dressed by Samantha Hastings and lit to
perfection by John Collopy.
It’s also
pretty faithful to Austen’s novel and revels in the satire of her text, while
layering in current day concerns about the housing market and the inherent
deviousness of rich men. Well, I guess that was always a concern, but here it is heavy with current concerns about oligarchies and billionaires the world over.
There was a
thread in the original production that culminated in a questioning of the
romance genre; the final speech that tackled this felt a little heavy-handed.
What this new version does is dig deeper into the discussion around owning
property and generational wealth. It’s fitting that this show debuted in the
week of the Federal Budget, which tries to re-write aspects of both of those
things in Australia.
In the end,
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy are at loggerheads over how to live in a
relationship that mixes the middle and upper classes. How can Lizzy really love
a man whose enormous wealth means he thinks differently than her? Romance and the "happy ending" trope is tackled in a much more satisfying way this time around.
This remains
a joy of a show – hilarious throughout, because how can it not be when Mr
Bennet is a plant? And Mary Bennet is a goth lesbian with a death fetish? And
sickly cousin Ann is just a skull? And the rain that gets Liz and Darcy wet is
sprayed from bottles by other cast members? Is it silly? Sure. But it’s beautifully blended with pointed commentary.
Last year’s
run saw the show nominated for nine Green Room awards, including Best
Production, Best Direction, Best Costumes and Best Ensemble. Performer Emily
Carr picked up Best Performer, because her Mrs Bennet is an astonishing
creation – truly manic in her desperation to get all her daughters married. She
even gets to shine as another character this time around, new to this version.
Be glad the Bennets and Mr Darcy and Mr Collins and Mr Wickham have returned! And the show is in a bigger venue! And more central! Be glad you get to laugh at the housing crisis, because what else are you going to do? Cry?
Pride & Prejudice is clever, sharp and still not to be missed.
- Keith Gow, Theatre First
It’s playing at the Malthouse until May 23
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