Review: GEORGIANA AND KITTY: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY Makes its Anticipated Return to Capital Stage

Jane Austen and Christmas go hand-in-hand, like ornaments and trees or Santa and Rudolph. Luckily for us, Capital Stage has brought back one of my favorite Austen-inspired works, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley. It is the third in a trilogy of plays by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon that focus on the Bennet sisters in the years following Pride and Prejudice.

Georgiana Darcy and Kitty Bennet are two of the smaller characters in Pride and Prejudice, but they take center stage in this show. Georgiana is fighting for independence, tired of being under her brother William’s thumb. She is a gifted pianist who longs to find her niche in the world of music. Kitty, one of the five Bennet sisters, is Georgiana’s Best Friend and confidante. The women fall in love with two friends, Henry Grey and Thomas O’Brien. Henry is an avid music fan and Georgiana’s biggest supporter. Her brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is reluctant to relinquish his control over her, despite his wife Lizzy’s warnings that he will lose his sister if he doesn’t.

This cast had a big order, as last year’s show sold out to rave reviews. Under the expert direction of Janis Stevens, they understood the assignment and put forth a performance that deservedly earned a standing ovation. Megan Wicks excellently reprises her role as Georgiana Darcy, whose determination to succeed in a male-dominated profession and refusal to capitulate to her brother’s demands make her a figurehead of feminism. Fatemah Mehraban is Kitty Bennet, by turns sly, coy, engaging, and fiercely protective of Georgiana. Perfectly complementing them are Andrew Fridae as Henry Grey and Braeden Harris as Thomas O’Brien. Taylor Fleer has taken over one of my favorite characters, Elizabeth Darcy, and is wonderfully playful, yet yields a firm hand when her husband, Tariq Elsiddig’s Fitzwilliam Darcy, needs it. Rounding out the cast are the rest of the Bennet sisters: Shelby Saumier as Lydia, Nicole Anne Salle as Jane, and Leah Daugherty as bookish Mary.

Like last year, scenic designer Eric Broadwater and Costume Designer Gail Russell have created a beautifully elegant representation of the Regency period. The lush set is refined and the costumes are wonderfully detailed and perfectly suited to the characters. Georgiana and Kitty is a welcome escape into a bygone era and a timely holiday reminder to be true to yourself while holding your loved ones close.

Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley plays at Capital Stage through January 5th. More information and tickets may be found online at Capstage.org, by telephone at (916) 995-5464, or in person at the Box Office at 2215 J Street in Sacramento.

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