This winter marks the 250th birthday of Jane Austen, one of the most celebrated and enduring authors of her time. Her work continues to inspire modern adaptations, from 1995’s Clueless, based on Austen’s Emma, to multiple filmed versions of Pride and Prejudice—and a lesser-known stage adaptation by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan.
Now in its fourth season—the third at the Broadway Playhouse—Midsummer Ensemble is returning with a fresh and humorous exploration of the Hanreddy and Sullivan play, under the direction of company veterans Molly Craft and Molly Meyers.
“Sometimes Austen’s books can get a reputation for being pure romance, but they also have a lot of depth and humor,” Meyers says. “Her novels focus on social commentary, and romantic relationships are part of that commentary.”
Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, the two eldest of five sisters, as they navigate the grim reality that if they don’t marry into wealth, they’ll be forced to work once their aging father passes because their home will go to a male cousin.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are extremes,” says actor Abby Smith, who plays Elizabeth Bennet. “Mrs. Bennet is basically Miss Piggy. Mr. Bennet is cold and detached. But all of it stems from anxiety. That anxiety shows when she asks, ‘Why didn’t you promise this estate to any of your daughters?’ None of the daughters can inherit. Their only hope is to marry. The idea of women working wasn’t even considered. When we talk about Austen, we’re not talking feminist ideas, we’re talking proto-feminism.”
The anxiety isn’t born of laziness, but of how women’s labor was viewed in the Regency era. Women could only work as servants or nurses—“jobs unfit for the daughters of gentlemen.”
“Austen masterfully pokes fun at classic archetypes and the fears of these wealthy young women, who act like they’re one step away from the streets when what they’re really terrified of is having to get a job,” Meyers says.
When the wealthy Mr. Bingley moves into a nearby estate, the Bennets eagerly seek an introduction. Jane and Bingley fall for each other quickly, while Elizabeth and Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, clash in a series of arguments and misunderstandings that slowly give way to mutual respect and something more. It’s a timeless tale, akin to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, full of wit, conflict and unexpected affection.
“These are very silly people being ruled by very silly conventions about love and marriage,” Smith says. “Jane [Bennet] is a bit of a romantic, but practical too. In the end, everyone’s just trying to find some kind of peace in a confusing world.”
To many Austen fans, her stories are a witty reminder that lovers don’t always get along. Sometimes they absolutely hate each other’s guts. “Elizabeth and Darcy don’t understand each other at first because they speak and think so differently. But over time, they learn how the other’s mind works. They’re trying to find something real in all the arguing.”
Pride and Prejudice runs Aug. 8–17 at Broadway Playhouse, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. Tickets: $16.30. midsummerensemble.com
