Emma

Michael Bloom's stage adaptation of Jane Austen's popular novel "Emma" is faithful to the story of young Miss Emma Woodhouse and her mischievous matchmaking amongst her friends and rivals in the village of Highbury.

In this studio style production by Water Lane Theatre Company, in the Charis Centre, a community church building, the open set was arranged on low dais, depicting a typical interior of a Georgian parlour, complete with fireplace, with the suggestion of the garden in front of the dais by the addition of a period metal garden seat and two potted low box trees.  Good use was made by the cast of the floor area in front of the dais, and some scenes were acted out within feet of the audience, which added a certain cosy, parlour-style, intimate feel to the performance.  I was also particularly impressed by the quality of the scenic painting on the large screen right of stage, hiding the "off-stage waiting area", depicting the high manicured hedge bordering Hartfield House, complete with a pair of ornate gates to the imagined driveway. As stage manager and set designer, John Johnson-Cook had certainly created the illusion of a typical 19th century estate in rural England, with suitable props provided by Jacqui Kinnison and well-timed changes to the lighting plot throughout the performance, provided by Isobel Heath and Will Jaimeson.

I was therefore a little surprised that the Director, talented young Amber Cope, had decided to costume the characters in modern dress and was not entirely convinced that this worked so well, given that the turns of phrase and dialogue used in the play are lifted straight from the pages of the novel, which, this year, celebrates is 200th anniversary.  That said, Amber's direction of the cast was admirable, as the play is written as a compilation of fairly short scenes, some 21 in all, and the cast certainly had to keep their wits about them, with all the rapid changes of scene taking place.  There had also been one last-minute change of cast, through illness, and Granville Rush, the production's manager, was required to read-in as Mr. Woodhouse, who, fortunately, spends most of his time sitting in his armchair, cautioning everyone against the perils of marriage and expounding the merits of calf's foot jelly in warding off chills!

In her first leading role with the company, Kerry Wheeler, as Emma, was amazing in her confident and absolutely word-perfect portrayal of this young headstrong woman, who just can't stop herself meddling in other people's love affairs, to the detriment of her own emotions, bringing all the complex qualities of her character to life.  I particularly enjoyed her "asides" to the audience, keeping us up to date with the plot.  Well done!  Kerry was well supported by Sean Burke, another newcomer, as her sparring partner Mr. Knightley, who brought a certain commanding, but nevertheless affectionate, quality to his role.  Young Ellie Sims was obviously enjoying her role enormously as Harriet Smith, who gullibly follows Emma's advice as to a suitable suitor, almost taking the disastrous decision not to accept the proposal from her true love Robert Martin, well-played here by Andy Cope, and marry the eligible, but rather stuffy ansd unassuming vicar, Mr. Elton, played by John Bell, who on dismissing Emma's suggestion that he propose to Miss Harriet Smith, declares his affection to a surprised Emma.  Following her rejection, he marries the haughty and overbearing heiress Augusta Hawkins, deliciously over-played here by Dolleen Howlett, also in her debut role with the company. Nancy Jones and Michael Boyton were well-matched and comfortable in their roles together as newly-weds Mr. & Mrs. Weston, as was Sally Fenton, as the impoverished Miss Bates, who was suitably mortified by Emma's rebuke during the picnic scene.  Emma Pink was delightful in her role as Miss Jane Fairfax, the mysterious visitor staying with Miss Bates, who entertains everyone with her prowess on the pianoforte, and is secretly engaged to Frank Churchill, played here by Greg Hill, who just occasionally was too quick in his delivery of his dialogue to be audible, but nevertheless gave a convincing performance.

Overall, this was an entertaining and captivating evening's live theatre for the appreciative audience and another fine example of Water Lane's talents as an accomplished company of players. 

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