Chenoa Deemal as Mary Bennet, Maddison Burridge as Elizabeth Bennet, Gael Ballantyne as Mrs Bennet, Perry Mooney as Jane Bennet and Daphne Chen as Kitty Bennet in Pride & Prejudice.
Image credit: Morgan Roberts.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a play of good merit must be in want of an audience. Enter Queensland Theatre Company’s return season of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, brandishing modern flair to the beloved regency romance.

Queensland Theatre Company has been on a remarkable run lately, bringing some of the most exciting productions to Brisbane stages, including the multi–Matilda Award-winning courtroom drama A Few Good Men late last year. It is no wonder then that after such a successful season in 2025, Jane Austen’s iconic love story would be beckoning us for a second turn about the Playhouse stage this year.

From beginning to end, Pride & Prejudice co-directed by Bridget Boyle (Breaking the Castle) and Queensland Theatre Company Artistic Director Daniel Evans (A Few Good Men) immerses its audience in the timeless enemies to lovers’ romance through its sharp wit, thanks to the genius adaption from Wendy Mocke and Lewis Treston, fun choreography by Nerida Matthaei and breathtaking stage design by Christina Smith. In fact, what makes this production so compelling for the modern audience, is its ability to embrace contemporary music, dance and expression without compromising the integrity of the source material. After all, if country dance music of the 1800s was considered modern at the time, it makes sense that a 21^st century Lizzie Bennet would bop along at the Netherfield ball to the likes of Rihanna, Florence + The Machine and Taylor Swift. It’s one big pop orchestral rave and we’re living for it.

The casting of this production is absolute perfection, and equally exciting to see is the approach to characterisation. Whilst honouring the essence of the characters we know and love from book and screen, it reveals them in a way that feels entirely fresh, as though we’re meeting them for the first time, exactly in my opinion what a stage adaptation ought to be. The highlight performance of this production for me is Chenoa Deemal (The 7 Stages of Grieving, Mother Courage) as Mary Bennet. For anyone who has had the pleasure of watching the BBC’s recent mini-drama success, The Other Bennet Sister, audiences will undoubtedly experience a newfound softness towards this delightfully dry-humoured character. Deemal displays expert comedic timing as Mary, from side comments about doily’s to bellowing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” at any given moment, she truly makes the character her own and it is a delight to witness. What also makes the characterisation of Mary in this production so refreshing, is that at no point is she made to feel left out of her sister’s banter and play, but she truly is one of the girls.

Maddison Burridge (Gaslight, Antigone) plays Elizabeth Bennet with incredible vigour and charm, leaving the audience in no doubt of Lizzie’s feelings toward the incredulous allotment of socially awkward situations she finds herself in, each facial expression perfectly on cue – and if the girlies loved Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy in the 1995 BBC series, then they’re in for a treat with Andrew Hearle (As You Like It, Antony and Cleopatra) as the tall, handsome and brooding gentleman. Hearle is brilliantly cast in the role, conveying Darcy’s journey of falling in love with Elizabeth through every micro-expression, from his restrained smirks at Elizabeth’s quick-witted retorts to Lady Catherine de Bourgh to his quiet moments of vulnerability. Both actors do incredible justice to the weighty responsibility of playing such beloved characters, at one moment their escalating banter turning into something of a tennis match, as the Bingley’s bob their heads back and forth in the foreground, eagerly anticipating what the other will counter with next. Audiences will not be disappointed by this dynamic duo.

Perry Mooney (Queen City, Reckless) and William Carseldine (Macbeth, An Ideal Husband) portray the delightful awkwardness of young love as Jane Bennet and Mr Bingley, Mooney bringing sweetness and grace to the eldest Bennet sister and Carseldine the golden retriever energy we all know and love of the giddy gentleman. Amy Ingram (Family Values, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged) is an absolute chameleon in this production and a true stand-out, from her warm endearing nature as Charlotte Lucas to her hilarious performance as the cold and calculating Caroline Bingley. We’ve seen so many renditions of Mr Collins over the years, but none so comical and unique as Cameron Hurry’s (Twelfth Night, The Woman in Black) take on the iconic role. From the moment he appears, the audience is in hysterics, waiting with bated breath as to what the Lady Catherine-obsessed vicar will say next. Honourable mentions go out to Jeremiah Wray (Macbeth, The Great Gatsby) as Mr Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Gardiner, Daphne Chen (One Thousand Points to Zero, Scenes From A Yellow Peril) as the excitable Kitty Bennet, Gael Ballantyne (Romeo and Juliet, Blackrock) as Mrs Bennet and Lady Catherine, Bryan Probets (Round The Twist The Musical, A Christmas Carol) as Mr Bennet and Sir William Lucas and newcomer Zoë Schramm (James and the Giant Peach) as the gregarious Lydia Bennet.

One of the biggest scandals of this story (spoiler alert) is the elopement of Lydia and Mr Wickham. What I love about this adaptation is the clear throughline in the way their relationship develops. Lydia Bennet is a boy-obsessed teen, and it is evident from the moment she locks eyes with Mr Wickham that trouble is sure to ensue. Whenever Lizzie has her back turned, there are moments of brief flirtation between Wickham and Lydia, leaving the audience in no doubt about Wickham’s deceitful nature.

The world building in this production is beautiful, thanks to the genius of stage design, lighting and props. From tiny houses representing each of the family homes we visit in the story, to the change in season integrated seamlessly with written text on props, it gives a book-like quality to the narrative. Letters being read out in real time by the sender reminded me a lot of the 1995 BBC series, particularly Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth before the end of the first act, accounting of his dealings with Mr Wickham. This was one of my favourite sequences in the show, with characters sweeping in and out of focus as they are quoted in the letter, with snow falling to signify winter as the new change in season. In learning that co-adaptor Lewis Treston grew up watching the BBC series, it’s hard not to see this scene as a reflection of the ‘indelible mark’ it left on him as a creative. Art has a remarkable way of shaping us as we grow, and it’s a joy to see that influence so beautifully woven into Treston’s work.

Another element of this show which is certain to leave audiences giddy with excitement are the group dance sequences. Nothing makes me happier in theatre than seeing actor’s having the time of their lives together on stage. This cast exudes joy at each step and turn; it makes you wish you were right up there with them!

A love letter to Austen lovers everywhere, Queensland Theatre Company’s exquisite stage adaptation of Pride & Prejudice will leave a flutter in your heart and a skip in your step after two and a half hours of pure theatre magic.

Make haste and book your tickets now before the carriage leaves the Playhouse!

Pride & Prejudice is now playing at QPAC’s Playhouse until 26 July.

Book now at qpac.com.au