You must go to the ball – new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre

The list includes a new stage ‘retellling’ of fan favourite Pride and Prejudice which has arrived at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.

Fear not regular Stephen Joseph fans. The production is a far cry, in a good way, from last year’s Austen offering, Northanger Abbey.

If not a direct, word-for-word, scene-for-scene from page to stage, it is in the spirit and of the sentiment of Austen’s original.

At its centre remains the love-hate relationship between Lizzie Bennet and Mr Darcy. The attraction of her older sister Jane and Mr Bingley and the scandalous behaviour of her younger sister Lydia and the rake Mr Wickham are also played out.

Also true to the book is the marriage of convenience between Lizzie’s best friend Charlotte Lucas and the odiously vain vicar, Mr Collins.

Bully and snob Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Collins’ patron, also looms large in the proceedings as does the silly squawking of the daughters’ mother, Mrs Bennet.

Also, the opening line and the heart of the matter, remain faithful to Austen. That is, a rich man is prey to any fortuneless woman.

The changes made by Kate Hamill are subtle – she uses 21st-century innuendo and modern language of gossip, teasing and observations.

She has also pared back the cast of characters and the range of country estates they inhabit. This allows her to get to the heart of the battle of the sexes as seen through an Austen-esque prism.

Times may have moved on but, like Austen, Hamill sees love as a battleground full of skirmishes, sorties, attacks and counter-attacks, truces and treaties. There are winners and losers with fortunes and reputations at stake.

There is much to admire in director Lotte Wakeham’s thought-provoking production, not least of all the performances from the nine-strong cast, some of whom play multiple roles.

Rosa Hesmondhalgh fizzes as Elizabeth Bennet, the feisty and witty heroine, and also shows great tenderness. It is a performance full of finesse.

James Sheldon plays Mr Darcy as the strong, silent type. His performance is characterised by stern looks, stoic silences and passionate outbursts.

Hesmondhalgh and Sheldon are, indeed, a perfect match.

Stealing every scene is Joanne Holden as the scheming, silly Mrs Bennet. She throws herself on the furniture in many a fit of hilarious pique while Dyfrig Morris delivers his put downs with satirical perfection.

To Kiara Nicole Pillai falls the job of embodying the mild-mannered Charlotte Lucas and the contrasting sharp-tongued snob Miss Bingley.

Jessica Ellis brings the house down as the vulgar flirtatious Lydia and then has the audience quaking in their seats as the formidable Lady Catherine De Bourgh.

Eve Pereira plays the Bennet sister Mary – the odd one out, bookish and awkward – to perfection before transforming into the polite, diffident Jane’s suitor Mr Bingley.

There is another gender-swap role-play which gives much amusement.

Aamira Challenger is steadfast and sensible as Jane and Ben Fensome draws big laughs as he plays Mr Collins as a deranged Ichabod Crane.

There is, of course, lots of dancing – more akin to predators stalking their prey before making a fatal strike – as Austen loved a ball. That’s where matches were made and reputations often undone.

Listen carefully to the Regency-style sound and you can hear the Pussycat Dolls’ Don’t Cha (You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me?) and The Rolling Stones’ You Don’t Always Get What You Want.

The new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is funky, funny and fabulously performed.

It is on at the Stephen Joseph Theatre from now until Saturday 26 July.

Tickets are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com