When last September I found that Pride and Prejudice (sort of) was returning to the Oxford Playhouse, I booked straight away. So it was six months later that yesterday afternoon I went for a second helping. That earlier performance (see review here on 13th March 2020) was one of the best things I had ever seen in the theatre. But five years later it seemed to have lost some of it's magic.
Everything was almost exactly as it was from before. The play was always for five or six actresses. Last time it was six and yesterday we were down to five. That makes little difference as, in any case, they are all playing a number of parts. I didn't think that this cast was a patch on those who appeared last time. Or maybe that's just me. In that original production the creator of this play, Isobel McArthur, also acted as Mrs Bennett, Mr Darcy and Flo. I think that the others were inspired by her.
The songs are basically the same, although this time there were some that were missing. The first number just happens to be the best as the whole cast gather to sing Elvis Costello's Everyday I write the Book. We do get most of the old favourites with Young Hearts Run Free, Holding on for a Hero, Everybody Knows, At Last, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, You're So Vain. I Need a Hero and Lady in Red. I think that these are the best things about the show, although yesterday they seemed to peter out in the second half. But I love this show, as did a sold out Oxford Playhouse.
The journey there and back was excellent. I parked at Princes Risborough station and it was half an hour on a quiet train to Oxford. The return was fine, a train waiting for us to board. It just so happened that this was one of the coldest days of the year. Fortunately the theatre was nice and warm.
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