Mr Bennet’s Bride

Newcastle writer Emma Wood’s comedy about a young man forced to find a bride swiftly is a delight in this premiere production, with director Julie Black and the cast ensuring that the laughter does not obscure the serious side of the situations.

Wood has used references in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice to the backgrounds of the ill-matched parents of the Bennet sisters to show how they came together. But audience members don’t need to be familiar with Pride and Prejudice to enjoy the tale.

While it is set in the late 18^th century, the situations are timeless.

James Bennet, the reclusive 28-year-old son of the owner of a large English rural estate, Longbourne, is given an ultimatum by his father, Robert, to wed within six months, or else be disinherited. The father is concerned that a cousin whose wife has just given birth to a son will inherit the estate if there is no male heir in the family.

George Gardiner, the attorney who draws up the contract requiring James Bennet to marry, sees an opportunity for his 17-year-old daughter, Emily, to be the bride and become a member of the wealthy family.

So James finds himself caught between the manoeuvres of his father and those of the Gardiner family, and being attracted by the beauty of Emily.

Dean Blackford makes the anti-social James a sympathetic figure. His mother died when he was born and he has always felt that his father blames him for her death.

There is a moving scene in which James and Lance Hawkins’s Robert have a heart-felt discussion, with Hawkins showing for a few minutes a softer, more human side to the dour father.

James receives needed support from his father’s widowed sister, Mary, with Tracey Gordon giving Mary the understanding that her brother lacks

The Gardiners are a very different mix to the Longbourne residents.

George Gardiner’s astute legal mind is evident from the first moments that Derek Fisher is seen as the businesslike attorney. His wife, Sarah, has a very different nature, with Alison Cox amusingly showing the flibbertigibbet essence of the woman when she is first observed arranging a vase and cushions in readiness for the arrival of the two Bennet men.

And Cassandra Griffin’s Emily is certainly her mother’s daughter, chattering about military men who are based in the town and flashing her eyes enticingly when James first looks at her.

The actors in smaller roles also contribute to the richness of the tale.

When Malcolm Young’s Benedict Collins, the cousin who could inherit the estate, comes to visit, it is clear from his words, expressions and movements that he is checking on the assets he expects his family to acquire.

Dianne Williams, as the Longbourne housekeeper, Mrs Graves, has a clear grasp of the problems facing her employers. And there is a very funny and telling scene in which would-be bride Clara Bowman (Stephanie McDonald) and her mother (Alison Murphy) come to Longbourne in the hope of snaring James.

Julie Black keeps the action moving swiftly on Robyn Greenwell’s elegant set that incorporates rooms in Longbourne and the Gardiner household. And Julie Black’s costume designs and Valmai Drury’s hairstyles add to the colour of this most entertaining work.

Ken Longworth 

Images:(top) L to R - Alison Cox, Cassandra Griffin, Tracey Gordon and Dean Blackford & (lower) The Cast - L to R: Dianne Williams, Malcolm Young, Lance Hawkins, Tracey Gordon, Dean Blackford, Cassandra Griffin, Alison Cox, Derek Fisher, Stephanie McDonald and Alison Murphy.

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