The Chemainus Theatre Festival's Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley is the perfect holiday treat for anyone looking for a heartwarming tale of love and family with some laughter along the way.
There's not a weak link in the cast of this imagined continuance of the story told by Jane Austen in the classic novel (and movie, and miniseries) Pride and Prejudice.
Set a couple of years after Jane Bennet (Kate Dion) marries the wealthy Charles Bingley (Kaden Brett Forsberg), and Elizabeth Bennet (Alexandra Brynn) marries the even more wealthy Fitzwilliam Darcy (Brett Harris), the story of Christmas with the extended family at Elizabeth's estate focuses on the much overlooked Mary Bennet (Rebekah Ogden), the plain bookworm of the family who wasn't interested in the traditional feminine preoccupations of balls and social engagements.
But Mary, masterfully portrayed by Ogden, has grown up into an accomplished pianist with an insatiable curiosity about the world, who wants to spread her wings.
Enter Darcy's cousin Arthur De Bourgh (Connor Lucas), who has recently inherited a lordship and estates that he has no idea what to do with, being far more comfortable in a library.
He and Mary immediately hit it off, but of course things don't run smoothly, in part due to the arrivals of the youngest Bennet daughter Lydia Wickham (Tiana Jung) and Anne De Bourgh (Danielle Klaudt).
I won't spoil all the shenanigans for you, but suffice to say there are plenty of spanners thrown in the works.
The script, by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, is also clever enough not to just focus entirely on the romance. It also explores the family dynamic of the Bennet sisters, who must in some ways get to know one another all over again after their lives have led them in different directions for several years.
Mary and Arthur must also decide who they want to be and who they want to become.
Plus, the show will have you laughing, too. Jung, as the pot stirring Lydia, is a treat with her breezy approach to life.
Ogden and Lucas are adorable in their portrayal of the awkwardness of falling in love. Lucas is especially amusing in his social blundering.
Both Harris and Forsberg have moments where their comedic timing shines through, and Dion and Brynn bring warmth to the family dynamic.
Klaudt gives the audience a surprisingly nuanced performance as the daughter who always lived in her very forceful mother's shadow.
It's all top notch.
The sets and costumes provide a feast for the eyes, transporting the audience back to another time and place.
And of course it all works out in the end, leaving the audience smiling, and perhaps even a bit fortified to spend the holidays with their own families.
While the theatre has successfully presented many holiday classics and new material for their Christmas productions, this is one of the best I've seen in recent years. Everything from the excellent acting, and the pacing that never skips a beat (thanks to director Jessica Schacht), to the story and the warmth and life with which it is presented, hits just the right notes for the holidays.
If you want to pick up tickets (which I highly recommend) do it fast, as there are already many dates that have sold out, particularly if you want to enjoy the scrumptious food in the Playbill Dining Room.
The show runs until Dec. 22. Get tickets at chemainustheatre.ca.
