With the start of November, there is only a little time left before the Christmas season comes around. LSU is bringing it even earlier with its latest show, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.”
Swine Palace Theatre’s newest show is a play written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. It stands as a spiritual successor to the beloved Jane Austen book, “Pride and Prejudice.”
The play follows Mary Bennet, the middle sister of the Bennet girls who is known for her love of books and her lack of romantic interest. Everything changes one Christmas when she meets Arthur De Bourgh, a quiet bookworm who recently inherited a large estate.
De Bourgh is played by Michael C. Hyatt, a Master of Fine Arts with the LSU School of Theatre. He said he’s delighted to be part of the production.
“We’re certainly starting the Christmas season off at the right time — beginning of November, we’re jumping right into it,” Hyatt said. “I know Christmas can be a challenging season for some people, but I think this really leans to joy and happiness.”
Hyatt has had fun with the fact that his character is the only one that doesn’t appear in the original book. This allowed him to create a character that isn’t beholden to previous adaptations.
“It’s fun to approach a sort of new character within this world, but I definitely was inspired by the versions of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I have seen,” Hyatt said. “He’s the romantic interest, so looking at Darcy and Bingley from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and some of the quirkier characters as well, I think there’s a lot of those flavors I borrowed.”
“Pride and Prejudice” was written back in 1813 by Jane Austen, and over the past 200 years, the world has fallen in love with the story over and over again. “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” is something a little new, showing the characters after some time and in the Christmas spirit.
Christina Griffey is a Theatrical Design MFA with the LSU School of Theatre, as well as the set designer for the show. Christmas is one of her favorite holidays, and “Bennet” has been one of her passions for the past months. For her, the best part of the production is seeing the cast unified in creating something for the holiday season.
“To give people a piece of joy during this season has been my favorite thing, ultimately,” said Griffey. “We’re all on the same page about creating something delightful that brings joy and highlights human kindness. I especially think during times like this, that is really important.”
Designing for a theatrical production is much different from film or acting. A lot of work goes into research, brainstorming and preparing, and then comes the building and the execution.
“My first conversation with the director was my compass for where it was headed, and ultimately things that kept coming up in conversation with her were focusing on delight and human kindness,” Griffey said.
According to Griffey, much of the director’s vision was focused on timelessness over historical accuracy. A lot of her own focus, however, centered around bringing warmth and the magic of Christmas to the stage.
From the doors and windows to even the way the set is shaped, Griffey focused on expressing the softness that she felt from the script. She said that one of her hopes was that the set felt like a hug for viewers. The color pallet was also important, full of warm, rich colors that exude the brightness of the holiday season.
“I thought it was going to end up looking a specific way, and it kind of ended up taking its own shape,” Griffey said. “I think that’s what I love about being a set designer. I feel like a gardener — I’m planting the seed and I’m nourishing the seed with water.”
“Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” will be held in the Reilly Theatre from Nov. 6 to 16. Tickets and information is available on the LSU School of Theatre website.
