As a follow-up to acclaimed theatrical adaptations of novels like The Jungle Book and Wuthering Heights, the UK’s Chapterhouse Theatre reaches for one of the most beloved works of British literature, debuting its China tour of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice this month.
Part romantic drama and part razor-sharp comedy of manners, Austen’s classic novel immortalized the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as one of the most famous romantic pairings of all time. Chapterhouse Theatre’s adaptation by playwright Laura Turner coincides with the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s passing, commemorating the timelessness of the author’s themes.
“Austen’s popularity is largely due to the fact that [her novels] could have been written yesterday. Themes of love, passion, guilt and jealousy all make up the foundations of modern literature,” says Chapterhouse’s artistic director Richard Main. Turner and Main have collaborated on several other adaptations of Austen novels prior to Pride and Prejudice, and this newest show promises all the wit, subtle irony and slow-burning passion of Austen’s original work.
Founded in the UK in 1999, Chapterhouse Theatre has expanded from a modest local company to an international touring troupe. It got its start performing intimate plays in unusual venues throughout the English countryside – in castles, country houses and outdoor spaces – before expanding to tours abroad.
Main has no shortage of fond memories from this early period, involving everything from a flock of onlooking sheep to interrupting cows. However, the tours through China have been memorable in their own right, both for Chapterhouse’s actors and Main himself.
“China is widely considered to be one of the cultural [centers] of the planet, so as soon as we were offered the opportunity, there was never any doubt as to whether we would want to come,” he says of its first tour. “People in the United Kingdom are, on the whole, quite reserved in their appreciation of [theater], so the response from young people in China has been something that the actors really appreciate.”
The popularity of Austen’s classic work and Chapterhouse’s wealth of experience in adapting British literature ensures that this latest adaptation will be one of its best, but Main is also looking ahead to the company’s future projects. His favorite Jane Austen novel is Sense and Sensibility, which the company is touring next summer, and Main also has a long-term goal of adapting the classic C.S. Lewis novel The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe for the stage. The company has a prodigious touring schedule, with several stints throughout China each year. And this work ethic, paired with a knack for choosing novels that have timeless resonance, ensures that the company’s profile throughout China will only continue to grow.
“All great literature, no matter what country it is from, touches the heart of the reader,” says Main. “I think the resurgence of these works is in part due to their reimagining in popular culture. We are part of that and are very lucky to be so. We are, to some extent, adding our own definition of these works with our adaptations, but as with all great novels, their themes are universal.”
Thu Oct 19-Sat Oct 21, 7.30pm; RMB180-380 (tickets via sales@theatrebeijing.com); TNT Theatre, see event listing.
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