Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Pride and Prejudice: The Musical?

Daughter sent me an indignant email the other day, about a musical version of Pride and Prejudice. She thought it was all kinds of wrong.

Now, I used to do a lot of musical theater back in the day and I have to say, I have a totally different take. For one thing, I can totally see a number featuring the Bennetts, a sort of Gilbert and Sullivan-esque song-and-dance. The chorus could do the ball scenes. Lady Catherine De Burgh could do a sort of anthem, like "If I were king of the forest" in the Wizard of Oz. And I can totally see Mr. Darcy singing a song after his rejected first proposals, all haughty self-justification that becomes self-recrimination. I can also envision a fun song for Mr. Collins, and a ballad from Elizabeth and Jane when they think they've lost Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy.

So sorry, Daughter, but yes, I think Mr. Darcy could so sing. I would draw the line at having him tap dance, though.

2 comments:

Kimber Chin said...

LMAO...
I'm with your daughter,
I think it is wrong in so many different ways.

It would be like Drury bursting into song.
I don't think I could keep a straight face.

Though if it were a comedy...
oh, but then it wouldn't be P&P, would it?

Kimber Chin said...

Oh, Margaret,
if you're looking for topics,
I was wondering if you could share
what you saw in the romance business
during the last recession.

Will there be less titles published?
Will the trend move lighter (please, please, I'm so weary of dark)?
Are there genres that normally do well?