Writer (of original book): P. D. James
Adaptors for stage: Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff
Director: Jonathan O’Boyle
Reviewer: Lela Tredwell
Ushering into the drawing room of the world of Jane Austen to sit apprehensively beside a whodunnit, Death Comes to Pemberley is a stage adaptation inspired by P. D. James’ crime novel sequel to Pride and Prejudice. The production showcases some great performances but ultimately leaves an audience wondering whether this union needed some more meddlesome match-making.
Six years on from the excitement of the courtship between Mr Darcy (James Bye) and Elizabeth (Jamie Rose-Duke), the happy couple are now settled at Pemberley, Darcy’s large estate. The preparations for a magnificent ball have attracted the attention of Lady Catherine Du Bourgh (Sarah Berger), who is polluting the walls of Pemberley with her deliciously sharp tongue, while cajoling the assembled company, which includes the honourable Colonel Fitzwilliam (Sean Rigby), to practice their dance steps. Georgina Darcy (Celia Cruwys-Finnigan) is seated neatly at the piano forte, breaking away from playing beautiful music only to ask Elizabeth what love is and whether it would be a good idea to marry her own cousin.
It’s a picture of Regency domestic bliss! And one that is about to be shattered when a stormy night brings murder to the grand doors of Pemberley. A man is killed in the woods and the chief suspect, drenched in his best friend’s blood, is the unpleasant Mr Wickham (Sam Woodhams).
If you are familiar with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and its many adaptations, you will know it is a truth pretty much universally acknowledged that Mr Wickham is a rotter. You will also know that the debate over who wears Darcy better rages on. James Bye does a very admirable job in this production. He balances the swoon-worthy element of the role along with the man of the house weighed down by responsibility.
If you are not familiar with the world of Pride and Prejudice or P. D. James’ crime sequel, you will probably be wondering at this stage in proceedings why everyone hates this guy Wickham. Allow us to enlighten: Mr Wickham (Woodhams) once tried to seduce Elizabeth (Rose-Duke) with filthy lies about Darcy (Bye), he almost ran far away with 15 year old Georgina (Cruwys-Finnegan), and he did succeed in ‘corrupting’ Elizabeth’s silly sister Lydia (Magali Masuku). This backstory will hopefully also help those who, like Elizabeth, have forgotten these particulars, and who may also be considering bathing unaccompanied with the half-naked man and putting him to bed.
This nonsensical scene is arguably the most ridiculous of the amendments that Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff’s script makes to the original source, but it is by no means the least vexing. The choice to create domestic strife for the Darcys over presenting them as a united front takes us into soap opera territory with Wickham-related jealousy centre-stage once again. We feel a bit like we are in Ground Hog Day. Sadly some of the most emotionally charged and intriguing scenes of P. D. James’ book have been glossed over or reduced entirely to exposition. The epic scene of Wickham being discovered with Captain Denny’s body in the unsettlingly dense woods falls flat. The final court scene is brief to say the least and we don’t even get to see the pivotal inquest.
While P. D. James’ novel is a dark tale this adaptation leans more towards a lighter whodunnit. We are clumsily offered some alternative suspects to Wickham. Why was the young lawyer Henry Alverston unable to sleep mere seconds after turning in, with surely barely the time to take off his ill-fitting jacket? Was Colonel Fitzwilliam’s horse really so desperate to be ridden through the woods on a full-moon to the very loud clap of thunder? And why was the Darcys’ maid Joan out ghost-seeking during a storm in an era when a mere drop of rainwater could send a woman to an early grave?
While viewers of Eastenders, Coronation Street and Endeavour can delight in seeing familiar faces tread the boards, some strong performances help to keep the torch for this production burning. Sarah Berger does a beautiful job of bringing alive Lady Catherine De Bourgh (Sarah Berger), while Todd Boyce skilfully offers us a humorous and warm portrayal of Sir Selwyn Hardcastle. Creating genuinely uplifting moments, there are brilliantly accomplished turns on the piano from Celia Cruwys-Finnigan as Georgina Darcy and David Osmond as Henry Alverston. Sean Rigby cuts a fine Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jamie-Rose Duke debuts brightly as Elizabeth.
Besides the splendid live music, the soundscapes are largely effectively atmospheric. Sadly, the great potential to clothe opulently the wealthy or vain characters has largely been missed. The set from Sean Cavanagh does give us the sense of grandeur to the grounds outside Pemberley but it doesn’t always transition well to other locations.
Despite the challenging elements of the adaptation, it is a joy to spend time with beloved characters, even when they are behaving in unexpected ways. The play’s attempt to marry the multiple genres may not have created the most reliable of unions on this occasion but it has still made for an entertaining night out at the theatre. We may not be buying a new bonnet for the occasion but we will be wishing them well.
Runs until 6th September 2025
