Theater Review - Renewing classics

NAME: Pride & Prejudice at the Alliance Theatre

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AGE: Jane Austen’s classic novel was published in 1813. Jon Jory directs the world premiere of his theatrical adaptation, co-produced with the Arizona Theatre Company and San Jose Repertory Theatre.

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HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The irresistible comedy of manners surrounding the opposites-attract courtship of outspoken Elizabeth Bennet (Julia Dion) and tactless, taciturn Mr. Darcy (Anthony Marble) isn’t just a cornerstone of English literature, it contains a sharp, proto-feminist point of view.

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UNIVERSAL THEMES: Jory’s script excels in tracking the five Bennet daughters’ dilemma of marrying for love vs. security. More than the film versions, Jory brings out the book’s deeper analysis of character and how the proud, judgmental tendencies of Elizabeth, Darcy and the supporting roles nearly sabotage true love. Here, the lead performances flip the couple’s traditional dynamic: Dion plays Elizabeth as so mannered and self-impressed that Marble’s deadpan comic timing makes Darcy the more sympathetic. They still provide modern-day couples with a case-study in poor communication skills.

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POST-MODERN CONCEPTS: With its large, stark shadows, metal staircase and angular concrete exits, the pristine white set feels overly cold and contemporary, like Austen staged behind the Iron Curtain. The rapid changes of scene and moments when characters speak directly to the audience, however, suitably replicate the book’s fast pace and emphasis on dialogue.

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DATED QUALITIES: The play gets encumbered in some of the arcane rules involving arranged marriages and property inheritance. You have to keep reminding yourself that in 1813, unattached women couldn’t earn an income or spend a weekend with a guy without provoking “a scheme of infamy.”

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WORTHY OF REVIVAL?: Yes, so much so that the Alliance production comes on the heels of the 1995 Colin Firth miniseries, the 2005 Keira Knightley film, and even the modern-day spoof Bridget Jones’s Diary.

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NOW PLAYING: Through Feb. 12. Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. $20-$50. 404-733-5000. www.alliancetheatre.org.