Plied and Prejudice | Woodward Productions and De Bortoli
Dearest Gentle Reader,
As many of you might this author finds herself bewitched body and soul by tales of Mayfair and the scandal that seems to follow the family Bridgeton wherever they go. Thus, it seems natural that one finds themselves wanting for new or even retold society gossip in whatever form it might take now that Bridgeton’s latest instalment has been released in full. Enter Woodward Productions and De Bortoli with their new romp Plied and Prejudice; an immersive theatrical experience that boasts of its ability to reinvigorate and titillate those suffering from what this author calls post-Bridgeton blues.
A collection of thespians that describe themselves as “the five hottest actors in Brisbane who also have a masochistic relationship with their livers” take to the stage and provide audiences with a comedic retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The twist in their theatrical martini being that one of the performer’s imbibes five shots of liquor onstage before the retelling begins. This author finds a further point of interest in the fact that this cast of five plays a stupendous twenty (20) characters. If this author’s knowledge of arithmetic–
Okay. That was cute for a minute, but I cannot keep it up.
This split means that approximately four of the twenty characters are being played by a drunk performer each night. One who only gets drunker as the night goes on. That’s right folks, poor Stephen Hurst (our Mr. Darcy and drunkard for the evening I saw the show) is made to drink even more as the show progresses. By my count he downed around ten shots of tequila (no salt, no lime) across the shows 80-minute run.
As you can imagine, this combination of factors and a few surprises this author won’t ruin by revealing makes for a bloody hilarious night at the theatre. The cast is dynamic, the script is a right knee-slapper, and the audience is encouraged to drink and interact with show responsibly throughout. If you’re an Austen lover, a Bridgeton baddie, or a period drama lover in general this is the show for you; I truly can’t recommend this more highly.
Yours Truly,
Lady Triss-ledown.
‘Plied and Prejudice’ plays at The Shed, Dock C, Northshore, Hamilton until 18 August 2024.
