Pride and Prejudice

Hamble Players Youth Theatre

Memorial Hall, Hamble

There are numerous Austen related events in this bicentenary year of her death and Hamble Players Youth Theatre's charming production makes a welcome addition.

This witty and clever adaptation beautifully distils the complexities of the plot into a series of bite sized scenes, whilst retaining the best of Jane Austen's one liners.

A simple stage set provided a perfect background to the action, supplemented by a constant state of activity shifting around the props with the change of each scene.

The young cast seemed to have settled well into the challenge of tackling the wordy script and very much made their characters their own. Dressed in an unexpectedly staid (and more early 20th century) style, Eloise Green imbued Lizzie with enough sparkle to overcome this and her scenes with Darcy (Charlie Baxter), who was excellent, had real wit. Charly Armstong gave an eye catching turn as the incorrigible Mrs Bennet.

Karen Robson