Austen fans will take ‘Pride’ in production

By ROGER SMITH
Star Beacon

April 02, 2008 05:57 pm

— CLEVELAND — The newly adapted stage version of Jane Austen's second book — and the favorite of her fans — “Pride and Prejudice,” is at the Bolton Theater in The Cleveland Play House, 8500 Euclid Ave.
This romantic comedy from the Regency period in England, a time characterised by politics, distinctive fashions, and social expectations, chronicles the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett to insure their children's futures by wedding their five daughters to men with substantial yearly incomes.
Those who are Austen readers will enjoy this production, set among several residences, parks and gardens — all beautifully designed and constructed by the 'offstage' personnel at The Play House. The actors wear some of the most striking costumes I have seen in a long while, adding to the romanticism of the play.
The show opens slowly, allowing the cast to 'set the stage,' so to speak, for the audience. Usually my ears adjust to any accent quickly, but for some reason I experienced difficulty for about half an hour with the British inflections I was hearing. I'm glad I weathered the understanding problem, for the show turned out to be a keeper.
This production is distinguished by some of Chicago's best actors. Complementing them is the third year class of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House Graduate Ensemble, making its mainstage debut and its final Play House appearance before receiving their Master's of Fine Arts degrees.
The play is performed in three acts, with a running time of two hours and 20 minutes — plus intermissions. Because of the quality of the production, the length of the play is unimportant. Michael Bloom, Cleveland Play house Artistic director, substantiates the popularity of the manuscript by saying, “There are very few romances in the repertoire of plays, which is why we're so thrilled to be producing a brilliantly theatrical adaptation of perhaps the greatest romance ever written.”
“Pride and Prejudice” continues through April 13. Tickets may be purchased by phoning the box office at 216-795-7000, extension 4 or by visiting their web site, www.clevelandplayhouse.com

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