GAY PRIDE AND NO PREJUDICE
Union Theatre
8th Oct to 2nd Nov 2024
“Peppered with comedy, Gay Pride and No Prejudice is the story of two men and one woman’s struggle for acceptance in an era when the few retained the right to judge the many.
Darcy has loved Bingley since they were boys. At first through the innocent lens of childhood, but now the hunger to play childish games has been replaced by a more dangerous desire. For if Darcy admits his love, will Bingley and the judgemental lens of adulthood cast him out of Society?
It is 1812, and a few self-appointed men have kidnapped God and democracy. They have decided, in their absence, that two men must never be together. Bingley has accepted this and so attempts to fall for the demure and lovely Jane Bennet. Darcy, already suffering, falls foul of Jane’s sister, the not-at-all demure, Elizabeth (Lizzie). Lizzie is outspoken in her wish for gender equality: for husbands to take their wives’ surnames and, ‘horror of horrors’, for a woman to eventually become Prime Minister. But her prejudice toward Darcy’s pride and wealth begins to melt when he proves himself an outspoken advocate of women’s rights.
Bingley seeks Mr & Mrs Bennet’s feelings about marriage (“Mrs Bennet and I were deliriously happy for 18 years…and then we met”) in order to plan a perfect, but false future with Jane, and it is ultimately he who must decide between an assumed happiness or his love for Darcy; a love that, in the 19th century, ‘dare not speak its name’.”
This is a fun entertaining play, loosely based on the characters within Pride and Prejudice. There are some witty one-liners and some hammy characters, and you can be sure of some laughs along the way.
Lighting is always interesting at the Union. With cables dangling all over the place and some movers just flashing their control panel displays rather than outputting light you know it’s going to be rather rough. The lighting designer (George Sellis) has managed to pull enough of it together to get some striking looks and make something rather special. With 6 drawing room panels edging the stage each one is lit to allow saturated colours. This works well until the cast stand too close in front causing their faces to become SMURF-esque. Easily avoided by more careful blocking.
The Set Design is period and mobile. Between each scene is a musical segway while the cast re-arrange the furniture like a game of musical chairs. This in itself was interesting to watch but after a few of these less would perhaps be more.
There was a copious amount of drinking in almost every scene. I always find it irritating when drinks are poured but there are no fluids involved. Drinks are drunk but from clearly empty glasses. The director also chose to have the “not needed in this scene” actors waiting, very clearly visible, at the edge of the stage like automatons waiting for their entrance or scene change. I found this distracting as I would watch them instead of the on-stage action.
Despite these directorial choices, the writing is entertaining, the cast keep the show buoyant, and I enjoyed watching the show. I’m not sure if there was a purpose or a message conveyed through this production but it was certainly a lot of fun and we all need to enjoy a few laughs now and again.
Directed by Luke Fredericks
Production Designer Bob Sterrett
Produced by Stephen Leslie Productions
by David Kerby-Kendall
directed by Luke FredericksUnion Theatre
Old Union Arches
229 Union Street
London
SE1 0LR
8 October – 2 November 2024
Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30
Sunday at 4pm
Tickets
Full Price £23.00
Concessions £18.00
Previews £16.00
Tuesdays £16.00
Running Time
105 Minutes (Including Interval)