Review: MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERELY at Austin Playhouse is a Charming Holiday Comedy

Austin Playhouse's production of MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY, continues the season of holiday-themed entertainment in Austin. Written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, but taking the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, this play endeavours to be a potential sequel to the beloved classic. This time, however, the focus is shifted from previous heroine, Elizabeth to her sister, Mary.

The play opens two years after the original story of the Bennet sisters left off. Happily married, Elizabeth (Jenny Lavery) and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Samuel Knowlton) have gathered the Bennet family at Darcy's ancestral home, Pemberley for Christmas. Bookish middle sister, Mary (Jess Hughes), despite being overshadowed by her other sisters dreams of a life of freedom and adventure. As Christmas day approaches, she finds a kindred spirit in the equally awkward, Arthur de Bourgh (Arthur de Bourgh), an Oxford man whose just recently inherited the late Lady Catherine de Bourgh's large estate. A romance seems imminent until the unexpected arrival of Arthur's cousin, Anne (Katie Kohler), who has her own thoughts about Arthur's future. Things feel quite bleak for the couple until, after a few helpful nudges, they take charge of their own fate and their story ends, if somewhat foreseeably, in bliss.

The cast, lead expertly by director, Lara Toner Haddock, is a delight. From one comedic moment to the next, each actor finds a balance that is both humorous and refined. As Mary Bennet and Arthur de Bourgh, Jess Hughes and Stephen Mercantel are a charismatic and endearing couple. The relatable sweetness and subsequent awkwardness of their courtship bring a charm and likability to the unlikely protagonists. Jenny Lavery and Samuel Knowlton as Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are a warm, engaging pair who knowingly advises the couple while exhibiting an innate chemistry. Rounding out the cast, Zac Thomas, Marie Fahlgren, Maria Latiolais, and Katie Kohler all deliver well-crafted performances.

This story takes on a beautiful set designed by Mike Toner. The Darcy's well-appointed sitting room with robin egg blue walls, a Pianoforte, and grand Christmas tree (a German custom new to 1800's England) serves as the perfect backdrop to this Christmas love story.

While playwrights, Gunderson and Melcon have done well matching the dialogue to that of Austen, there is somewhat of a disconnect between the tone of the show and its setting. Certain modern-feeling phrases and viewpoints feel out of place. While the literary classic these characters originated from was indeed ahead of its time, Jane Austen could not have imagined her creations in this farcical situation. The slightly predictable storyline at times seems to directly duplicate the same love/hate narrative of Austen's original story. The piece still manages, however, to maintain a natural wittiness and satirical approach to societal standards placed on women despite any perceived clunkiness.

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY is a holiday comedy full of warmth and charm. Austin Playhouse's production is the perfect addition to any friends or family's holiday entertainment plans. Brightened with themes of love and family, this play is most assuredly destined to become a seasonal classic.

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERELY is now playing at Austin Playhouse at ACC Highland (6001 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78752) until December 23rd. Runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 5:00pm.

Approx. running time: Two hours and ten minutes, with one fifteen-minute intermission.

Tickets (prices varies upon dates):

Adult- $32-$38
Seniors- $29-$35

Students- $16-$19

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