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“Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” Kicks Off the Holidays

I count myself among the many hypnotized by Jane Austen, who through some sort of alchemy or wizardry, has convinced us all that if you present certain individuals dressed in long cloth with empire waist, hair piled up except for single parallel locks unwilling to be bound, or vested with ruffled sleeves and sporting a top hat upon their noggin, and especially if they speak in accent anywhere near British, that these people can make poetry lamenting the loss of a button. And if you give them a cup of tea to hold, or a handkerchief to carry, or oopsies, drop before a possible suitor, well heck, few of us have the wherewithal to resist.

Alameda Post - three cast members sit together on a sofa, smile, laugh in their costumes
Photo Grizzly De Haro.

So of course I was going to love Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, which opened last night at the Altarena Playhouse. Does that make me an unreliable reviewer? Oh pshaw! It makes me the kind of person you want to invite over for an afternoon of gossip and crumpets where we lean in, whisper, “Did you hear about?” and shake our heads and guffaw in shared joyful disbelief.

The play, marvelously directed by Jacquie Duckworth, is a sequel to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margo Melcon. It is set, as the title reveals, during Christmas time, which actually plays a supporting role to the central and somewhat familiar plot—a Bennet sister, this time middle Mary, has an opportunity for love but, as the story unfolds, her path to happiness is full of obstacles both internal and external. Played by Samantha Rich, with a degree of sweetness that often incites hugging, this Miss Bennet is bookish and clever and curious and speaks truth to her dear but distracted sisters. They are married, one is expecting, and none seem to understand and appreciate our heroine.



Alameda Post - two characters in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley drink tea and sit on a couch during a scene
Photo Grizzly De Haro.

Enter, of course, a suitor—Nico Jaochico as Arthur de Bourgh, who wears his nerdiness upon his nose (glasses!) and matches Mary in love of page versus love of person. How they discover one another, overcoming themselves and a scheming fiancee, is to be watched in person and not revealed here. Speaking of that fiancee, her name is Anne de Bourgh, cousin to Mary’s intended, and is played with adorable villainy by Mikki Johnson. From the moment she enters, bonneted and bold, we watch in awe of her sneaky strength.

Kudos to the other fine actors in this ensemble: Devon de Groot as expecting Jane, Sarah Jiang as the domesticated Elizabeth, Zoe Novic as bratty Lydia, and Joshua Roberts and Thomas Hutchinson as the doting spouses. A special note of praise to them all—unifying the strong cast was their strong acting, especially how they employed their accents. The language sang in ways admittedly snooty (every adjective stole the scene from its noun), but with a consistency and authenticity that was impressive.

Alameda Post - three actors onstage performing
Photo Grizzly De Haro.

A little more on the direction of this play. Having myself directed at the Altarena, and knowing how the intimacy of this compressed theater challenges, I was in awe of the work done by Ms. Duckworth. Conversations took place on both levels, sitting, standing, stage left and right, including characters pivoting to face upstage in ways that are actually how people speak to one another. She had her actors fill the space, move about, and interact with a naturalness that made their intentions believable. All of this took place on what has long been a staple of the Altarena—a lovely set bathed in fetching light with music wafting through the resplendent air.

Alameda Post - the cast of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley poses onstage for a group photo
Photo Grizzly De Haro.

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley runs from now through November 19, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. For more information, visit the Altarena website. Purchase tickets online: $35 Adult, $33 Senior, $20 Student. And if you don’t like the play then surely you are a Scrooge. (Speaking of which, come see A Christmas Carol, presented by the Foodbank Players in early December—check their website for details.)

Gene Kahane is the founder of the Foodbank Players, a lifelong teacher, and former Poet Laureate for the City of Alameda. Reach him at [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Gene-Kahane.

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