Men, money and microphones will be fought over in the irreverent but affectionate adaptation of Pride and Prejudice which arrives at Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s this week.
Writing, directing and starring in Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of), it’s hard to believe the first time Isobel McArthur read the beloved Jane Austen novel was when she started working on her own script.
Isobel, who studied Scottish literature at Glasgow University before studying drama, was asked to reimagine the literally classic by The Tron’s artistic director Andy Arnold.
“He was interested in having some kind of classic novel in the (Glasgow) theatre’s summer programming,” said Isobel.
“That was when I went to Voltaire & Rousseau, which is a gorgeous little second-hand bookshop in Glasgow, and got a few different classics.
“Andy really liked the idea of Austen so I sat down and read it for the first time.”
Pride and Prejudice surprised playwright Isobel McArthur
And the book was very different from what she’d imagined.
“It was just immediately very, very funny from page one,” said Isobel who portrays both Darcy and Mrs Bennet in the show.
“I’m now a total convert and a real Austen fan.”
For those unfamiliar with the story, the book follows the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner. They must overcome – you guessed it – pride and prejudice to fall in love and marry.
While Isobel expected the 1813 book to be “starchy and inaccessible” and “just about the lives of rich people”, she quickly realised that wasn’t the case… but it gave her the idea to make her musical take on the famous novel more approachable.
“Surprisingly, it was a socialist, feminist and funny farce. I recognised all the characters as people from my own life immediately.
“I was thinking about all the false impressions that I had and how my friends and family would also have these perceived notions about Austen as very plummy and English.
“There is also that sense of exclusivity – either from a class or intellectual point of view.
“I thought one really good way to make the audience feel that the material was accessible was to have the story told by the servants.”
Servants take centre stage… and take part in karaoke
And there’s also a reason why all the servants in Isobel’s play are women.
She said: “When you look at the historical period, Pride and Prejudice is set during the Napoleonic Wars so actually, the vast majority of the household servants at that point would have been women as men were conscripted.
“So having five working-class servant women tell the story breaks down the perceived barriers to the world of Austen.”
The show is told through karaoke which Isobel would describe as “fun” and “fascinating”.
“It’s the place where people show off but also break their hearts – there are many different aspects of humanity on display.
“The characters in the novel are preoccupied with thinking about when the next party was coming up as that’s where all the matchmaking happened.
“We really wanted to lean into traditional notions of romance by having lots and lots of great famous love songs in the show.”
Songs by Cher, Bonnie Tyler and more feature in show
And Isobel was keen for the songs to span decades, making sure to include something for all the different age groups coming to see her show.
From I Got You Babe to Holding Out For A Hero, theatre fans can look forward to singing along to songs from the 60s all the way through to the 90s.
“I noticed when Jane Austen writes about love and when Jarvis Cocker writes about love, all the same observations are being made.”
“And it’s also a way to inflict my music taste on audiences,” laughed Isobel.
Pride and Prejudice to have Aberdeen premiere
After opening in Glasgow and a short UK tour in 2018, Pride & Prejudice *(*sort of) took London’s West End by storm, picking up the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play earlier this year.
The popular musical will visit Aberdeen for the first time this week – from Thursday to Saturday.
“I’m really looking forward to coming to Aberdeen,” said Isobel.
“I’ve been to Aberdeen many times as an actor and playwright before and we always have a really good time there.
“Playing His Majesty’s – which will be a first for me – is very exciting.”
Isobel will be wearing three hats when she visits the popular north-east venue – playwright, actor and director – which can sometimes be a challenge.
“I think when you’re responsible for something in many directions at once, it can stretch you but it also really allows you to realise your vision,” said Isobel.
“And luckily for me, we have a fantastic cast and crew who work really collaboratively on this project. I always feel incredibly supported and inspired by the people that I’m working with.”
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) is at His Majesty’s Theatre from Thursday October 13 to Saturday October 15.
Tickets are still available and can be booked here.
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