Review: Persuasion at the Rose Theatre

Photography by The Other Richard

Neon lights, pop music and TikTok-esque dances feature in director Jeff James’ modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel ‘Persuasion’ at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. The new play preserves the novel’s incandescent romantic tension, but Austen's intense curiosity for the class conflicts and social issues of the Regency period is less palpable amid steamy scenes that leave the audience in fits.

As readers of the novel know, Persuasion is the story of Anne, who was convinced by her family against accepting the proposal of a man who had nothing to offer but his love for her. Lying face down on the stage as the audience enters the room and find their seats, Sasha Frost embodies the sorrow of her character Anne, who refuses to engage with her family as they enter with dancing and music. She has been confronted by the decision she made eight years earlier, as this mystery man, Wentworth, returns as a distinguished and wealthy naval captain played by Fred Fergus in the play.

James has rejected the common idea that Austen's novels are distant from our lives in the 21st century, likening the themes within Persuasion to how current relationships affect our ability to afford a home. His past works demonstrate an interest in love and family relationships, including the modern adaptation dramas, ‘La Musica’ and ‘A View From The Bridge’, that both debuted at London’s Young Vic theatre. Alongside co-adaptor James Yeatman, James connected his interpretation of Austen's message about finding purpose outside of marriage, particularly in this posthumous novel, with the present day and steered the adaptation in its own direction for the stage.

White turtle neck tops incorporated into the modern costumes are a nod to the high-neckline gowns and tall collars from the Regency period of the novel. However, much like the costumes designed by the set and costume designer Alex Lowde, the original themes of the novel are hidden behind a modern style that recognises the differences in how an audience of this time would perceive them. Austen wrote about HERE social issues through Anne’s journey to find love at the beginning of the 19th century, when women were expected to be married and be taken care of by their husbands. James emphasises the character's desire to have control over her decisions with a modern twist. Anne pushes the characters off the stage, disregarding their input on her love life and future.

Apart from this, Frost adopts a period-appropriate realism style in her portrayal of Anne, in contrast with the modern approach and design elements of the play. Lowde pairs Anne’s realistic human emotion, like her eye gazing moments with Wentworth and gentle vocal delivery, with monochrome clothing that stands out from the cast's vibrant costumes. Comedic characters are dressed in bold pieces, starting with Sir Walter, played by Emilio Doorgasingh. He enters in a trendy bright green towelling-print dressing gown that matches his extravagant emphasis on words, fast-paced speech and breaking the fourth wall with looks to the audience as they pick up on his jokes. The varying depths of characters creates a balance of comedy and tragedy true to the novel’s romance genre, yet the pronounced humour feels current.

Having said that, Caroline Moroney and Matilda Bailes’ goofy depictions of Henrietta and Louisa overshadow the important themes of the play. Their scenes are dominated by sparkling metallic dresses as they dance to Max and Ben Ringham’s modern soundtrack. A peculiar dance routine to ‘Levitating’ by Dua Lipa had the audience laughing as the actors waved their arms in the air and bossy sister Louisa stomped her feet. Although the contrast does accentuate the importance of Anne’s character, it also serves as a distraction for the audience that undermines the main storyline of the play.

In a ballroom scene with contemporary dancing, the entrance of a figure dressed in a black sequined morph suit caught the mature audience by surprise. Neon lights shine on the character as they strut the stage and twerk to the raunchy lyrics of ‘WAP’ by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. It is a far cry from the classic ballroom scene that Austen had envisioned and might have offended purists that gawped at a scene purely intended for laughs.

Lowde’s untraditional white platform stage provides a blank canvas for the audience to envision the scenes in either a Regency or current setting. The rotating top half of the stage creates different levels that avoid it feeling overcrowded even when all the cast is on stage. Attention is also drawn to the minor characters such as Mrs Clay and Elizabeth, which James imagines engaged in a homosexual relationship that, of course, is far less explicit in the novel. Played by Moroney and Bailes, the characters sit on the edge of the lower platform, away from the ballroom scene in the foreground, running their fingers slowly down the other's arms and legs.

While this play does leave you wondering whether Austen would have approved of the bad language and thudding disco music in this modern adaptation, there is a clear conversation between the original text and modern sensibilities that honours the novel’s enduring legacy. James reinvented the text with a comedic twist that, though overdone at times, earned lots of laughs and kept its contemporary relevance.