Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

Few love stories have been retold as often as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The mismatched lovers and wounded pride has been adapted for stage, screen and page more times than most people can count, but it has never been done in quite as unique a way as Isobel McArthur’s Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of). The adaptation, which won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy in the West End, reshapes the story entirely by handing the telling to the household staff, the people who have been quietly watching the Bennet sisters from the kitchens and corridors all along. Music and modern references are woven into the action, as five performers manage to bring the whole world of Pride and Prejudice to life.

Opening its run at The Arts Theatre Cambridge tonight, the production began before the show had officially started. The cast, in their servant personas, were cleaning and chatting with audience members as they found their seats, breaking the fourth wall and leaving the room already in on the joke before the lights went down. From there, the staff's interactions gave way to rapid character switches and physical comedy that kept the energy high throughout.

The five actors make their way to the stage and start framing the production, before spending the next two and a half hours bouncing between characters in one of the funniest adaptations you are likely to see. Each performer shifts between roles with a speed and precision that keeps the audience fully engrossed, without ever overcomplicating the story or becoming hard to follow.

Taking no nonsense from anyone, Georgia May Firth's Elizabeth Bennet stays strong throughout, which makes her comedic moments land even harder. Eva Hope effortlessly swings between the sweet softness of Jane Bennet and the ladish hilarity of Wickham, with the contrast between the styling of two characters only making each one funnier. Phoebe Marshall effortlessly transitions between the Bingley siblings, nailing both personalities while pulling on the extremes of each to get every laugh possible. Emily Cruz plays Mary Bennet so over the top in all the best ways, bringing real hilarity to a sister who is so often overlooked in Austen's novel. The five actors were rounded by Julia Murray, who shone as Mrs Bennet, with delivery and facial expressions that had the room in fits.

All five gave truly memorable performances, but the real magic lies in the way they bounce off one another. The quartet share a radiant chemistry that immediately draws you in, as if they were meant to perform together. They each bring a slightly different comedic style, but the combination of all five approaches together makes for a truly hilarious night.