wandering the greenwood

Before going to see Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) I re-read the book, and wow, it really is an absolute delight of a book, isn't it? I've read it several times, but I feel like I noticed the details much more than I have before this time through and appreciated the structure and character arcs better. I also appreciated just how funny it is—oh, that bit near the end when Elizabeth is fully aware that she's in love with Darcy and is agonising over how he will surely never propose a second time—and then later, when he has proposed and they're all happy but her family are still being embarrassing... It does seem to me, though, that for all I love Austen's writing I just can't quite feel fannish about it. I don't know; I love some of her characters very much (Mr Darcy being probably my second or third fave, after Fanny Price and maybe Anne Elliot), but somehow none of them quite come across as the right kind of weird or messed-up for me to find truly compelling and blorbo-able. It's funny how that sort of thing works. I was also struck by Austen's sentence structure—she uses commas in a way that's definitely not standard or 'correct' now and seems much more typical of grammatically looser-feeling eighteenth-century writing, which is interesting.


And while reading I also took the opportunity to try another adaptation that I'd never seen before, the 1980 TV series (which is on Youtube, albeit in a somewhat unwieldy scene-by-scene format). I really like this one! It's basically faithful to the book; where it adds and changes things the choices are always interesting and feel like they were made from a place of love for and joy in the original—often expanding on something from the book, showing in specific detail things that Austen gives in summary—even if some of them are a bit strange. It feels quieter and more subtle than the more famous adaptations, which I like. Elizabeth Garvie is just perfect as Elizabeth: she gets 'there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody' completely, and (er, according to my taste) her looks also get 'the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow'. David Rintoul's Darcy is very stiff and formal in his manner in a way that's easy to read as autistic, which I approve of on general principles and as an interpretation of Darcy. The adaptation also has an absolutely lovely Jane; a Lydia who is completely her mother's daughter; a Georgiana who suits the character perfectly in her brief appearance; a Mr Bennet whose sharp edges of cruelty are completely not softened. The opening title sequence of each episode pans over a period-style cartoon summary of the episode's events, which is charming. I really liked the house they used for Pemberley, also!

Well, said I to myself, if I can't see Kidnapped live again I can at least go and see another play by Isobel McArthur...

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), McArthur's first big success, made its debut in Glasgow in 2018 and has since enjoyed three tours and a run in the West End; the current tour is nearing its close, but judging by the trajectory so far there may well be future ones. At the end of the play there was a big sign on the stage saying 'IF YOU LIKED IT, TELL SOMEONE', and I am dutifully telling all of you; if you don't want to read the long spoilery review, please read this bit here where I tell you it's very good and you should go and see it if you get a chance. :)

( I'm giving you a longing look... )