Theatrical Performance #1 - Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical


I discovered this musical on Prime Video and thought I’d give it a watch. I’ve seen some other filmed stage performances before that are a bit wonky and wasn’t done by someone who understood the difference of watching a theatrical performance from the lens of a film audience, but this one was really well done. You were able to see the full stage at times to see the ensemble and set as well as the different interactions between characters.

The music left me wondering. There were a few songs that I loved and thought were well written while others I felt like they were just trying to figure out how to make the exposition more interesting by putting it to music. The actors sang well, but the lyrics weren’t always as inspiring as other musicals I’ve heard.

Where the music was lacking, the script was well done. I felt like it embraced the beloved story and characters while being its own unique telling of the story. 

A few other highlights I loved were:
  • Mr. Darcy's songs, which were my favorites throughout the score.
  • The simplicity of scenery so the focus was on the costumes and the characters.
  • The asides to the audience to bring them in on an inside joke.
  • That Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's characters were equally as strong in spirit. Sometimes Mr. Bennet is played to be a weak man, but I liked how this actor portrayed him to have just as powerful spunk as his wife and Mrs. Bennet wasn't too over the top.
  • The levels of the stage separated by stairs to create more of a visual dynamic. 
If you have the chance to check this show out, I highly recommend it.

What are some of your favorite filmed stage performances?

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