Emma

Emma, from the novel by Jane Austen and dramatized by Michael Baulch, was the perfect choice and performed in a beautiful location, for BADGP; this being the 200th year since Jane Austen’s death. The production, outdoors, fondly  captured the etiquette and interactions of the small-town folk as Emma hatched plots and inspected her guests. Emma is full of comic potential, romantic drama and witty dialogue.  Austen described Emma as “the meddling matchmaker” and she is articulate, well-meaning but rather naïve.  She is also bored, rich and a small-town snob.

The grounds were laid out with various performance areas; the main stage being the focus and doubling up as Randalls and Hartfield. There was good provision for the inclement weather. The front of house team was welcoming and helpful.

The set on the main stage was practical and, with a few swift changes, doubled up as both houses. The crew did a fantastic job battling the elements and adjusting as necessary.  

A great deal of trouble had gone into ensuring each character was appropriately dressed with beautiful gowns for the women and the relevant period costumes for the men. I was seated too distantly to comment on the make up, but the ladies’ hair looked authentic.

There were a few technical issues regarding sound but in view of the severe weather, the crew coped extremely well and should be commended for rectifying the problem.  

The essential characterisation of each cast member was well developed and each character maintained their persona throughout.  There were no weak links in this excellent interpretation. The acting was strong with lots of tittle tattle, social gossip and was humorous at times and while the rain dampened the actors physically, their performances never lacked vitality and energy. One of the highlights for me was the dancing which was joyfully performed with live musical accompaniment from Sylvia Barry and Teresa Henderson. We soon forgot the foul weather and Kerry Lamb’s production was appealing and really drew the audience in.  The design, direction and performers provided the audience with an evening of entertainment of the highest possible standard.

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