The opening scene of Ava Pickett’s Emma gives a bonnet-clad nod to Jane Austen’s original work as we watch a woman in regency dress turning the pages of a book. The lights go off and the tinkling waltz gives way to the strains of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance as a Jägerbomb fuelled rave ensues. Cue Pickett’s reimagining of the meddlesome matchmaker in 21st century Essex. Courtly romance meets Love Island as missed connections and illicit liaisons unfold in this Austenesque rom-com.
Amelia Kenworthy’s Emma Woodhouse is supercilious, energetic and confrontational, intent on concealing flunking her Oxford finals from the Highbury natives. Returning home, seemingly for her sister Isabella’s wedding, Emma distracts herself by playing puppeteer over the love-lives of all who cross her path.
None feel the sting of Emma’s misplaced advice more than her friend Harriet (played with fantastic physical comedy by Sofia Oxenham). Our heroine convinces the kooky Co-op worker to block her crush “Bin-fire Rob” on the strength of an updated Hinge picture.
In the run up to Isabella’s wedding, Emma’s constant interference leads to a nearly jilted bride, a betrayed friend and the breakdown of her father’s secret romance. This frenetic plotline is rooted in farce, with plenty of pratfalling and hiding in cupboards, but also acts as social commentary. The script is littered with relatable quips and the cast is a parade of stereotypes from perma-tanned Essex girls to sleazy estate agents sizing up pensioner’s properties.
Nigel Lindsay excels as Emma’s father, wheeler-dealer Mr Woodhouse, delivering explosive one-liners with superb timing. Lucy Benjamin is inherently lovable as beautician Mrs Bates, dropping phrases like “they can turn faster than a pigeon on a chip” while carrying on her secret affair with Mr Woodhouse. The one character not rooted in humour is George Knightley played by Kit Young, whose frustration and longing for Emma smack of sincerity. Naturally, the whole theatre held its breath when the iconic “It was badly done, Emma” line hit its mark.
Austen’s 1815 novel was a comedy of manners, a wry observation of the peculiarities of social interaction. Pickett’s reframing delivers the same, brilliantly expressing the trials of navigating connection in a world of ghosting, dating apps and the typing dots of doom. It’s also wonderfully funny, with elements of 90s sitcom absurdity, including funeral wreaths stolen for weddings and Liberace hairstyles.
While the play is riotously funny, the emotional current which underpins Austen’s original work felt lacking, overshadowed by constant skits and punchlines. The second half offers more character development, with an especially poignant scene between Emma and her father revolving around custard doughnuts.
Other adaptations of Austen’s work, such as Bridget Jones’ Diary or Clueless have stuck more rigidly to the regency plot, while this version borrows far more loosely. With a shifted focus upon Emma’s failed aspirations and the pressures on Gen Z to overachieve, Pickett has created something new and resonant. For romcom fans or those in need of a good laugh, this is a great night out.
NEED TO KNOW: Emma is showing at the Rose Theatre Kingston until 11th October.
