THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY - Reviewed by Cosmo Murphy

Well, I had a fun time at the show and am having even more fun writing this review as this sequel to "Pride and Prejudice" is a holiday treat where Jane Austen meets "Downton Abbey." This comic-drama, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, is about the events leading up to a Christmas party at Pemberley. 

   Housekeeper Mrs. Reynolds has hired a new maid named Cassie and another character, Brian, has a crush on the girl. He spends a lot of time showing off his “inventions” to her, such as a device that makes baking biscuits easier. (It’s a roller combined with a biscuit cutter so she can roll dough and then immediately cut it into shapes for biscuits).

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have invited their friend, Lydia Wickham, who is married to George Wickham, who no one likes because of his toxic behavior. They all talk about how they don’t want George to show up and spoil their Christmas party.  So of course, George shows up belligerently drunk with his head bleeding from getting beaten up at a bar. To keep George’s arrival secret from Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth occupies his time by having sex with him upstairs, while Mrs. Reynolds occupies Lydia's time by shoving biscuits in her face and having her go to her room to eat them.

Then the maid, Cassie, discovers a letter addressed to George that reveals he had got another girl pregnant, and he owes a bunch of people money. (It was the brother of the girl he got pregnant who found him and beat him up). George realizes he lost the letter, that has now made its rounds to everyone in the house except for Lydia, his wife. George, eager to leave Pemberley, tells Lydia they ought to go abroad and she’s excited since she really wants to go to Paris. 

Lydia gets money from her dad, George and Lydia pack their bags and get ready to go, but just before they leave, the bombshell of George's behavior is dropped on Lydia. Although heartbroken, Lydia gives George the money her dad gave her for their trip abroad and George leaves the house alone. The final scene shows Brian giving Cassie a gift of a music box and they do a little dance to the music and that’s the end of the play.

    My favorite actor was Chelsea Kurtz for her portrayal of Lydia that had me laughing when she acted like a bimbo, and I empathized with her after she got her heart broken by George. Kyle T. Hester as George did an excellent job of being the antagonist but as his character was toxic I understood why no one wanted him around. Will Block played Brian with a schoolboy crush that had the audience laughing whenever he would introduce an invention. Kodi Jackman's Cassie strives for independence while her job as a maid allows her to have freedom from societal norms. 

 Nike Doukas as Mrs. Reynolds was the backbone of Pemberley, doing everything she could to ensure everything was fine and going well. Rebecca Mozo as Elizabeth was a moral person, a good friend to Lydia and a loyal wife to Mr Darcy. Adam Poss, was a badass Mr Darcy, charming towards the girls and didn’t take any nonsense from George while on the staircase.

Directed by Michael Butler, it's a fun show and an emotional experience as there were parts where I laughed and parts where I gasped. I enjoyed how the stage was set and how the characters used the space to tell the story. I recommend this play for Santa Barbarians that want to go out, be entertained, and cruise State Street after the show!  Photos by Zach Mendez.

Ensemble Theatre Company at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street, Santa Barbara. For tickets or info: (805) 965-5400 or www.etcsb.org