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| Sterling Notley ( Harris) - Lydia Milosavljevic (Jane Austen) - Elaine Noon (Mrs Austen) - Dylan Hayley Rosenthal (Elizabeth Bennet) - Rachel Hogan (Madam LeFroy) in "Lizzy, Darcy & Jane" |
Written by Joanna Norland – Directed by Alexandra Pelvin
Set Design by Kayla Ciceran – Costume design by Eliza Gulley
Lighting Design by Nathan Sciberras – Sound Design by Neville Pye
Lighting Design by Nathan Sciberras – Sound Design by Neville Pye
Properties co-ordinated by Belynda Buck – Stage Managed by Julie Barnes
Canberra Rep Theatre, 4th – 20th Sept. 2025
Performance. on Sept. 5th reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.
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| Marco Simunec as Mr Darcy - Lydia Milosavljevic as Jane Austen. |
Rather than rehash yet another version of Pride and Prejudice, Norland, with her play, has invented a fascinating argument based around propositions suggesting much of Austen’s celebrated novel is autobiographical.
Austen herself is one of the characters, as are several of her contemporaries, which adds an additional layer of intrigue for Austen devotees.
This is the style of play Rep does so well, and the care and attention lavished on this production by director Alexandra Pelvin, her cast and creatives is obvious.
The play is performed in attractive period costumes designed by Eliza Gulley, on Kayla Ciceran’s imposing setting with its meticulously chosen period furniture and properties, which transforms the Rep Theatre stage into an agreeable approximation of a Regency period mansion. Superb lighting design by Nathan Sciberras and a meticulously chosen soundscape, the work of Neville Pye, beautifully compliment the visual elements.
This is the style of play Rep does so well, and the care and attention lavished on this production by director Alexandra Pelvin, her cast and creatives is obvious.
The play is performed in attractive period costumes designed by Eliza Gulley, on Kayla Ciceran’s imposing setting with its meticulously chosen period furniture and properties, which transforms the Rep Theatre stage into an agreeable approximation of a Regency period mansion. Superb lighting design by Nathan Sciberras and a meticulously chosen soundscape, the work of Neville Pye, beautifully compliment the visual elements.
Pelvin has taken opportunity to include several lovely tableaus in her staging, most notably, the drawing room scene which opens the second act, in which family members engage in a cardgame while another relaxes in front of a blazing fire.
Lydia Milosavjevec is a picture-perfect Jane Austen. Vivacious and animated, her performance will be even more effective if she takes a little more time over the delivery of her lines and controls the fluttery hand-movements that detracted from her otherwise impressive first night performance.
No such reservations about Dylan Hayley Rosenthal’s beautifully judged performance as Elizabeth Bennet, or Rachel Hogan’s forthright interpretations of both Madam Lefroy and Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
Sterling Notley impressed as Mr Bingley, Mr. Collins and Harris,and Marco Simunec was well cast as both Mr Darcy and Tom Lefroy, as was Elaine Noon in the dual roles of Mrs Austen and Cassandra.
However for those in the audience less steeped in the world of Jane Austen, one wonders, given the limited range of some of her actors, and the complexity of the author’s concept, that in the interests of clarity, the production might have benefited, had the director decided on less role doubling.
Nevertheless, as it stands, this production of Lizzie, Darcy & Jane provides an entertaining evening of intriguing theatre while posing questions of new possibilities for beloved characters.
Images by Ross Gould, Alexandra Pelvin, Helen Drum
No such reservations about Dylan Hayley Rosenthal’s beautifully judged performance as Elizabeth Bennet, or Rachel Hogan’s forthright interpretations of both Madam Lefroy and Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
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| Rachel Hogan as Lady Catherine de Bourgh |
Sterling Notley impressed as Mr Bingley, Mr. Collins and Harris,and Marco Simunec was well cast as both Mr Darcy and Tom Lefroy, as was Elaine Noon in the dual roles of Mrs Austen and Cassandra.
However for those in the audience less steeped in the world of Jane Austen, one wonders, given the limited range of some of her actors, and the complexity of the author’s concept, that in the interests of clarity, the production might have benefited, had the director decided on less role doubling.
Nevertheless, as it stands, this production of Lizzie, Darcy & Jane provides an entertaining evening of intriguing theatre while posing questions of new possibilities for beloved characters.
Images by Ross Gould, Alexandra Pelvin, Helen Drum
This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 06.09.25
