RECOMMENDED
The Buffalo Theatre Ensemble returns to the world of Jane Austen in “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley,” a continuation to Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and the third in a trilogy of plays written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. Directed by Connie Canaday Howard, the play stands on its own merits, but fans of Austen, or those who have seen the previous two installments, will be treated to “Easter eggs” scattered throughout the performance.
The first act of “Georgiana and Kitty” takes place where the previous play left off, during the 1815 Christmas season at the Pemberley estate in England. Olivia Finkelstein plays Georgiana Darcy, a young musical prodigy who keeps company with her five sisters-in-law (whose backstories were explored in the previous works). As all gather at the Pemberley estate, Georgiana confides in her best friend and sister-in-law, Kitty Bennet (Ksa Curry), that she has invited two men over for Christmas, fellow music lover Henry Grey (Peter Alfano) and his wingman, Thomas O’Brien (Daniel Millhouse). But her overbearing brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy (Keenan Odenkirk), disapproves of Georgiana’s and Henry’s “friendship,” and soon learns of a scandal that might end the love affair before it even begins.
Midway through, the play’s theme changes dramatically from the search for love to a vindication of the rights of women. Georgiana becomes committed to her music. She makes a name by performing at salons throughout London, founds a revolutionary society for women musicians and harbors a grand secret that, if revealed, might not only upset her brother but send all of England into a tizzy. What matters most to Georgiana is her music—composed by Christopher Kriz—and God help the man who tries to block her path to magnificence. Jane Austen was not a feminist writer in the modern sense, but her novels feature many feminist-like ideas, and “Georgiana and Kitty” takes the opportunity to lean into these ideas in ways that Austen, restricted by her place in time, perhaps never could.
A mention must be given to Daniel Millhouse as Thomas O’Brien, friend of Henry Grey and love interest of Kitty. From the moment Millhouse makes his first appearance, he positively shines, delivering quips and icebreakers with confidence and bounding across the wide, lavishly decorated living room with enthusiastic aplomb. Often serving as both comedic relief and the voice of reason and kindness, Millhouse is a standout amongst an already adept ensemble.
The play is a love song to Regency-era literature. Melcon and Gunderson meticulously capture the highfalutin language of nineteenth-century aristocrats. The actors have nailed down the brogue of overtly proper English socialites, punctuating most sentences with accented falsetto trills. Scenic design by Jacqueline and Richard Penrod is highly detailed, and costumes by Aly Greaves Amidei capture the period in mood and color. “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley” is a fitting climax to the trilogy, and will leave you with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley” through December 21 at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn. This review is of the November 20 final preview. Tickets are $43-$52, available at atthemac.org.
