Emma

Emma
By Jane Austen, adapted by Sandra Fenichel Asher. Villanova Players (Qld). Director: Mary Woodall. Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills. 1-9 March 2019

Jane Austen’s novels have been critic-proof ever since they were first published in the early nineteenth century. Her chic-lit world of romance amongst the English aristocracy has been remarkably popular with readers, especially young women, for generations.

Emma, one of the most popular of her oeuvre, could almost be classified as the blueprint of the genre, for Emma is a comedic story of a young woman with too much time on her hands and a penchant to match-make and gossip with disastrous results. With a pedigree of two recent Hollywood movies the tale comes with built in audience appeal which was endorsed by the almost house-full, mostly female audience, in attendance.

Period costumes and bonnets were the order of the day in Mary Woodall’s pacy production on an evocative set, dominated by two lounge chairs upholstered in Laura Ashley prints.

Hannah Martin played the title character with a twinkle in her eye and a brazen manipulation. You couldn’t help but admire her determination to get the results she wanted. It was amusing with no hint of mean-spiritedness.

A staunch and righteous reading of the man she’s destined to marry, Mr Knightly, was portrayed with rural accuracy by Robert Gettons, whilst Rod Thompson nicely characterised Emma’s father Henry, whose obsession with the inclement weather raised chuckles. Lillian Dowdell looked perfect as Harriett Smith, the girl with an unknown parentage, but it was an introverted performance that lacked projection, which was no problem for old-stager Liz Morris whose Miss Bates fussed with aplomb.

Cecilia Girard had the unenviable job of sitting at a desk all night playing Jane Austen, and although the director used her to distribute props at times, she was stuck delivering reams of exposition. This was the problem with Asher’s clunky adaptation. There was too much narration and too many short scenes.

Still, the large cast brought Austen’s milieu lovingly to life and even managed a dainty English reel (twice) in the process.

Peter Pinne    

Images: Lillian Dowdell as Harriet Smith (left) and Hannah Martin as Emma Woodhouse, and Cecilia Girard as Jane Austen.

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