Pride and Prejudice (*Sort Of) - The Show Will Go On! Newcastle Actress Steps in to Save the Day
Let the ruthless matchmaking begin when Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story, opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal this week (Thu 19 – Sat 28 Sep 2024) before embarking upon a nationwide 35-date tour.
Newcastle-based actress Susie Barrett will be making her Newcastle Theatre Royal debut when she steps into the leading roles of Mary and Lydia Bennet. Susie, who lives in Gateshead and has previously performed at The Customs House in South Shields, was originally cast as an understudy however when illness prevented Eleanor Kane from opening the tour in Newcastle, she stepped up during rehearsals. She said: “I am so excited but scared and full of nerves to play the dream roles of Mary and Lydia Bennet in this West End production; I’ll be giving my first performance on the first night in my hometown of Newcastle. To have my family and friends in the audience seeing me, it’s a dream come true.”
She added: “Told by the female servants, this adaptation is in the spirit of Jane Austen herself and the way she writes but you don’t have to be a fan of her or her novels to enjoy this production - it’s funny, feminist and packed with humorous moments and I just know that North East audiences are going to love it!”
Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. In this version, the classic tale Pride & Prejudice is set to a karaoke soundtrack featuring a string of pop classics including ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ and ‘You’re So Vain’. The all-female cast also includes Emma Rose Creaner, Eleanor Kane, Rhianna McGreevy, Naomi Preston Low, Christine Steel, Georgia First as well as another local talent, Isobel Donkin from Washington, Tyne and Wear.
In February this year, Newcastle Theatre Royal announced its first co-production for more than a decade, teaming up with multiple Oliver and Tony Award winning producer David Pugh and Cunard to showcase the unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story, written and directed by Isobel McArthur – one of the most exciting talents and theatre today having, unprecedentedly for a young female writer, won both an Evening Standard award and an Olivier award. Now, Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort of) will return to the Grey Street venue following its triumphant 2023 run when it proved to be a firm favourite with audiences, playing to packed out houses for every performance.
Marianne Locatori, chief executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal said: “Rehearsals have been going extremely well and the final preparations are now underway here in the theatre ahead of this week’s opening performances. As one of the flagship cultural venues in the region, we are delighted to be collaborating with critically acclaimed West End producer David Pugh and Oliver and Evening Award winner Isobel McArthur - one of the most vibrant and exhilarating writing talents in the industry - to launch this fresh, funny and witty comedy drama here in the North East prior to an extensive nationwide tour.”
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) first played at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow in 2018 with the all-female cast including writer Isobel McArthur. A subsequent nationwide tour in 2019 saw sell-out shows at Northern Stage, and this was followed by a West End run at the Criterion Theatre in 2021 and a further UK tour, during which the production visited Newcastle Theatre Royal for the first time in early 2023 where it received five-star reviews and standing ovations.
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thu 19 – Sat 28 Sep 2024. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or by calling 0191 232 7010.
Featured image: Susie Barrett
