Jane Austen's "Emma" is wittily charming

 

Handsome, clever, spoiled, meddlesome, young, beautiful, rich and pretty- all of these things describe Jane Austen’s title character of Emma. And wait until you see how she uses her sometimes misguided mediations on those around her! Emma is playing at the Cleveland Play House through March 21, 2010.

Based on Austen’s comic novel and adapted by the Play House's own Michael Bloom, director Peter Amster (who also directed Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at the Play House in 2008) successfully guides the cast into a lush world of misconstrued romance.

Sarah Nealis is outstanding as the plotting matchmaker “Emma”. Nealis’ interpretation of Emma’s grace, energy and ability to multi-task with smiling stubbornness makes her a delight to watch. Her determination to have a hand in the history-making of those around her pulls the audience in from beginning to end.

 

Mark L. Montgomery plays a dashing “Mr. George Knightley”. As a resident of a neighboring estate, Mr. Knightley is both a frequent visitor to Emma's home and a playful adversary to her. Montgomery gives the character just the right balance of friend, neighbor and handsome happy bachelor. His strong male figure helps ground the story, almost as a yin to Emma’s yang.

 

Carolyn Faye Kramer is wonderful as Emma’s friend “Harriet Smith”. Kramer shines an innocence into the unsophisticated but oh-so-moldable Harriet, who is the center of several of Emma’s failed matchmaking attempts. Her character is layered with so much expectation and uncertainty that one can’t help but root for her all the way through.

 

Truly, all characters on the stage encompass the gentile presence of the 1815 novel. Patrick Clear is a comic relief as Emma’s father, the hypochondriac “Mr. Woodhouse”; Dana Hart and Leigh Williams give a kind of zippy parental and friendly life to the characters of “Mr. Weston” and “Mrs. Weston”, respectively; finally, Zac Hoogendyk, Tom White and AJ Cedeño are suave and debonair at playing the eligible bachelors of “Mr. Churchill”, “Mr. Elton” and “Mr. Martin”. The remaining characters and ensemble each bring a high level of truth and professionalism to each of their performances.

 

Scenic Designer Robert Mark Morgan did a beautiful job with the scope and details of the set. From the indoor facets of the period décor to the rich backdrop of Georgian-Regency England, the set feels as if one has stepped into an era of elegance and refinement.

 

Costume Designer Kristine Kearney hits the nail on the head with the styles of the time. The bonnets, empire silhouettes, shawls,  and soft flowing skirts give an informal femininity to the ladies, while the men are dapper in long breeches, coats with long tails / short fronts, hats and boots.

 

The production as a whole is an enchanting delight, holding the audience in a constant state of anticipation throughout the show. Amster did an amazing job both in casting and in making Jane Austen’s words and world accessible to the audience.

 

Jane Austen’s Emma runs at the Cleveland Play House in the Drury Theatre through March 21, 2010. For ticket information, contact the Cleveland Play House at 216-795-7000, or visit their website: http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com/.

 

THE CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

8500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106

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