Mansfield Park

Adapted for the stage by Willis Hall, the play has a cast of 25, some playing extra parts as servants. The experience of the director in musical theatre was evident in the choreography of the period dances and the fluid movement of the cast on the Studio’s square floor area. Added to this there was excellent attention to detail in posture, deportment and respect from gentlemen to ladies and servants to masters. Characters were sharply drawn, essential with such a large number of relations and neighbours to get to know.

The story is cleverly linked by the butler, housekeeper and housemaid while simple minimal changes of furniture also ensured the pace was uninterrupted throughout the 14 scenes. Costumes from a variety of sources were generally in period and of good quality. Changes in lighting, though simple, were very well effected while the backing beautifully depicted the house exterior.

Acting was of a high quality throughout and one can only mention a few of the players. Jan Ibberson (Lady Bertram) was suitably languid and upper class, Kath Spivey (Maria) looked delightfully demure, sulky or ardent as the play progressed, Peter Geary (Edmund) was charming and kind to the poor family relation Fanny Price (Laura Bundock) who waited patiently for him to realize that she was his ideal wife. Kath Kenyon (Mrs. Norris) kept the family together with confident playing, Adam Booth (Henry Crawford) had a rakish demeanour and played his Shakespearean characters with relish, though both characters were probably not unpleasant enough for those familiar with the book. Claudia Bennett’s movement and body language made a vivacious and enticing Mary Crawford. Finally Michael Bullock was excellent as Harkness the long suffering butler, whose stage presence and facial expressions highly amused the audience.

A great success for the Society, well done everyone.   

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