theatre

St Luke's Theatre Society presents the stage adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility". Directed by June Balfour, the Society portrays the charming tale of the Dashwood sisters and their pursuit of love after tragedy befalls their family. After the death of their father, the Dashwoods move from the lavish family estate to a quaint cottage in the country, where they meet friends and new acquaintances who enlighten and challenge them in new ways.

The stage was set with the intention that actors could access props, costumes, and accessories with ease. Chairs placed around the edges of the stage allowed the ensemble to contribute to scenes when required, making transitions between scenes run smoothly. Lighting consisted of a white wash over the stage, with each scene accompanied by some transitional classical music that seemed melancholic in nature. While the music was enjoyable, there was a concern that some of the songs chosen were not aligned with the themes of the story. With many colourful and bright characters, I felt that the music should rise to meet them rather than creating sombre tones at odd times.

A loveseat, small table and the already available chairs complemented each scene and were adaptable to the changes in settings throughout. The costume alternation of accessories to represent different characters was a great and necessary tool and was well utilized. On occasion, a few of the ribbons or hairpieces were misplaced, but were easily resolved. The majority of the scenes utilized the limited space onstage as well as the aisle running down the centre of the room. The frequent movement and stylistic dynamics created an interesting effect that engaged the audience well.

Madelyn Scott's depiction of Elinor was gracefully and mindfully executed. While the character struggles to resolve her emotions and prioritizes those she loves over herself, the audience could see more gradually how the burden that weighed upon her. Scott performed her dialogue seamlessly and professionally, locked in and exploring the essence of who Elinor was and aspired to be. Lillian Dowdell's performance in the role of Marianne was also impressive, as she portrayed the longing and passionate nature of Elinor's artistically inclined, younger sister. Immersing herself in the role, Dowdell gracefully expressed each of Marianne’s highs and lows, engaging the audience to empathize with her amidst her heartbreaks.

The male leads that were especially notable were the roles of Mr Edward Ferrars (Eamonn Clohesy) and Colonel Brandon (Jock Dunbar). Clohesy played a highly believable Edward that grew in confidence throughout the course of the show. They emulated everything that Edward was, mindfully and skillfully capturing the slightly anxious but thoughtful and sincere manner that Elinor fell in love with. Similarly, Dunbar portrayed Colonel Brandon with ease. Their ability to gradually reveal Brandon's complex emotions as naturally as Austen's novel would depict was highly commendable. I was very impressed by the way Dunbar was able to seamlessly portray the manner of a man in love; a character who was both stoic and integrous. His portrayal of Robert Ferrars was also highly entertaining, and the audience enjoyed it thoroughly.

The choice to use the group of Gossips to symbolize the pressure from society was a dynamic approach that added to the expression of emotional turmoil within the Dashwood sisters' hearts and situations. The roles of John Willoughby (Lachlan Gregory Hugh), Miss Steele (Kiah Latham), Margaret Dashwood (Megan Brown), John Dashwood (Steve Pearton), Mrs Jennings (Phillipa Bowe), Thomas (Bruce Edgerton), Mrs Dashwood (Marion Jones) and Mrs Fanny Dashwood (Jessica Fletcher), were wonderfully portrayed and added a joyful and bright spirit to the story. The casting, done particularly well, urges me to look forward to the company's next production.

To book tickets to Sense & Sensibility, please visit https://stlukestheatre.asn.au/.

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