Austen Rom-com for Lyceum

Mar 6 2019 | By More

Lyceum announce Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) for Jan 2020

The Lyceum is picking up the Blood of the Young, Tron co-production of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) for a six venue UK tour, hitting its own stage in January next year, 2020.

Drawing on over two-hundred years of romantic pop history, Blood of the Young’s unique take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice opened at the Glasgow Tron in Summer 2018. The revival will open the Bristol Old Vic’s Autumn season in September 2019.

Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic

In Isobel McArthur’s “adaptation like no other”, six young women have a story to tell. These are they who you might have seen emptying the chamber pots and sweeping ash from the grate; the overlooked and the undervalued making sure those above stairs find their happy ending.

Of course, they’ve always been running the show – after all, as they say: ‘You can’t have a whirlwind romance without clean bedding’ – but tonight, the servants are also playing every part.


“I think Jane Austen has a particular genius for identifying The Ridiculous in her fellow human being,” says McArthur, who also performs in the show. “She quietly highlights the unfairness and absurdity of the world she was living in, all the while skilfully entertaining us with flawed, complex and funny characters who feel so real we’re sure they’re based on our own friends and family members.”

Blood of the Young were most recently seen in Edinburgh at the Traverse in 2017 with their tour of Daphne Oram’s Wonderful World of Sound, co-written by McArthur with BotY’s director Paul Brotherston.

ingenuity, energy and whip-smart stagecraft

The Tron’s Artistic Director, Andy Arnold describes Blood of the Young as the “perfect ambassadors for the ingenuity, energy and whip-smart stagecraft that defines this generation of Glasgow theatre-makers.”

He adds: “We’re incredibly thankful to our partners at the Lyceum for taking up the baton and ensuring that UK audiences get to marvel at this definitive* (*sort of) take on the original rom-com.”

Isobel McArthur and the company in Daphne Oram’s Wonderful World of Sound. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic

The Lyceum’s Artistic Director, David Greig, said: “Blood of the Young are a brilliant young voice of Scottish Theatre, and their below-stairs take on Pride and Prejudice is a pitch-perfect blend of reverent homage and mischievous send up.

“I could not be more delighted to be working with them to bring this show to The Lyceum stage, and out to our partners across the UK.”

Beside the Lyceum and Bristol, the production will be touring to Birmingham Rep, Northern Stage in Newcastle, the Oxford Playhouse and Nuffield Theatres in Southampton.

colour, music and laughter

McArthur says: “This adaptation sees a cast of servants multi-role-ing to tell the story of Pride and Prejudice and – in the spirit of Austen – has much to say, but never at the expense of spinning a great yarn with gags a-plenty and, of course, karaoke. But to hell with that – audiences don’t need to have even heard of Jane Austen or her novels.

“This show is simply for anyone who enjoys a great night out full of colour, music and laughter. I’d encourage anybody put off by the associated stuffiness or frilly corsetry of the Austen legacy to give this a go – and I’d tell those who love Austen not to worry because we do, too. This is a deeply affectionate re-telling of her brilliant, enduring story.”

Listings and links

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, EH3 9AX
January 2020
Dates and ticketing details to be announced at a further date.

Lyceum Website: https://lyceum.org.uk/whats-on

Blood of the Young website: www.bloodoftheyoung.org
Facebook: @bloodoftheyoung
Twitter: @BOTYtheatre

ENDS

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