Look what I found when I was snooping around in my county library’s online catalogue! I could hardly believe it –a P&P adaptation I’d never heard of, and a musical besides! Although produced in 2020, it was totally new to me. Naturally, I requested it immediately. Shall I tell you how many times I’ve watched it since? I would, but I’ve literally lost track.

Over the years, I’ve been to see several plays based on Jane Austen’s works – some musical and some not – and enjoyed them all to one degree or another. It’s always special to see a live performance. [Side note: I’ve often thought how thrilling it would be to attend the premier of a play based on one of my own novels, and I even took a stab at writing an adaptation of The Ladies of Rosings Park for the stage.]

The only problem with a stage play is that the enjoyment lasts a couple of hours, and then, except for some fond memories, it’s over. Unlike a book or DVD, you can’t take the play home with you to watch again and again if you want. This one you can:

Pride & Prejudice: A New Musical is a musical adaptation by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon (Broadway’s Jane Eyre), filmed during a 2020 live performance at the Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley (directed by Robert Kelley and choreographed by Dottie Lester-White).

A play, especially a musical, is an entirely different story-telling medium, so we can’t expect it to be absolutely faithful to Jane Austen’s original work. This one sets a slightly more modern tone, for one thing. But I was quite impressed with how true it remained on the whole, managing to cover all the major plot points and necessary characterizations, using clever scene transitions and often breaking the fourth wall to quickly slice through to the heart of the story with no waste of time. Especially considering how much needs to be cut out to fit a 2-hour format while also making room for the songs, I was amazed how many lines from the original novel had been squeeze in: a treat for every Austen insider.

There were changes made, of course – some minor and presumably done for expediency (Mrs. Bennet preparing food in the kitchen, the Netherfield ball moved from November to Christmas, elimination of Louisa and Mr. Hurst, and so forth). The largest departure from canon was Mr. Bingley’s personality transplant. Instead of being outgoing and jovial, he’s painfully shy, especially around Jane, which is very effectively used for added humor. Because, you see, this adaptation is deliberately and delightfully funny, and I found myself laughing out loud along with the live audience.

Mary Mattison plays a charming and feisty Elizabeth, and Justin Mortelliti is a passionate and tortured Mr. Darcy. They both did a admirable job in their demanding leading roles – acting and singing both (although I found Mattison’s less-than-perfect British accent a little distracting). Mortelliti has a particularly fine singing voice (if I am any judge), and when he cuts loose, I can easily forgive him for not being as tall as Mr. Darcy is supposed to be.

The supporting cast is excellent as well. I particularly got a kick out of the performances of Lucinda Hitchcock Cone (wonderful name!) as Lady Catherine and Heather Orth as Mrs. Bennet. Although Mary Bennet (Melissa Wolfklain) may actually have gotten the most laughs with her deadpan delivery.

The music itself is perhaps the most difficult thing for me to evaluate in any kind of objective way. To say I really enjoyed it would be true… but not enough. The songs did what they are supposed to do: adding drama and emotion, giving us a more in-depth view of what the characters are thinking and feeling, helping us to join in their experience. Perhaps the best recommendation is to tell you that I still have the music and lyrics running through my head! I’d say that’s a pretty good mark of success.

This production will never win a prize for costuming (not all are period correct, and a couple of the wigs are pretty awful), and their are other flaws. But, at least to me, the faults are minor when compared to the fact that I can now watch a musical version of my favorite story anytime I want, since I’m adding this DVD to my permanent collection. You may be able to find it at your library, as I did. It’s available through Amazon in “rent” or “own” formats. And it’s free to watch on the Jane Austen page at streamingmusicals.com. I hope you’ll give it a look see.

My rating: four and a half stars. (Read my other movie reviews here.)

Have you seen this adaptation? If so, what did you think of it? If not, are you interested?

The party, like other musical parties, comprehended a great many people who had real taste for the performance, and a great many more who had none at all; and the performers themselves were, as usual, in their own estimation and that of their immediate friends, the first private performers in England. – Sense and Sensibility, chapter 36