It’s not as ambitious as Isobel McArthur’s sly, hilarious Olivier Award-winning Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of) but The Other Bennet Sister, a new adaptation of the story by Jane Hadlow, with screenplay by Sarah Quintrell and Maddie Dai,does have something in common: it focuses on the overlooked character, bookish and plain Miss Bennet, Mary. Sure, there are no cheeky anachronisms, and the period drama isn’t tickled into submission with contemporary songs by Pulp and Elvis Costello, but what it does, it does rather well.
Ella Bruccoleri is said lead, socially awkward Mary, who is “relegated” to the status of governess as her other sisters are married off, one by one. She’s excellent in the role, owlish face scrunched up without her new glasses, or bobbing around unco-ordinatedly to piano fortes in London, where her bullying Mama (Ruth Jones) has sent her from Meryton.
Unquestionably, as the audience tends to be female, the love interest is inverted- here, Mary is admired by not one but two potential swains: Mr Hayward (Donal Finn) and Mr Ryder (Laurie Davidson). The real twist is that her wit and intellect proves to be something of an aphrodisiac to the young men. Lucky her (?)
Okay, the script is a little expositional, and self-consciousness in its empowerment subtext, but it is wonderful to see the nerd get her own narrative, and anything that embraces introversion as a superpower is all to the good. I cheered when Mary called out regency Mean Girl Caroline Bingley (Tanya Reynolds) for her unkindness. It was a real mic drop moment. Go, Mary…
Hit The North 