Review: Stolen Shakespeare Guild's GEORGIANA AND KITTY: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY is joyously romantic!

From Left: Marisa Duran as Georgiana Darcy and Katherine Collins as Kitty Bennet

 Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley

Written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon

Directed by Lauren and Jason Morgan

Produced by Stolen Shakespeare Guild

Audience Rating: PG 

Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission

Accessible Seating: Available

Hearing Devices: Not Available

Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available

ASL Showing: Not Available

Sound Level: Comfortable

Noises or Visuals to Prepare For: Some loud talking from the ensemble of characters on stage, as well as an outburst of yelling might be uncomfortable for some patrons.

Reviewed by Natalie Shaw

Before they prepare to shut the doors on the Sanders Theatre at Fort Worth Community Arts Center for the last time, and make their way to their new location, Stolen Shakespeare Guild is giving us one more sparkling gem of a show to close out 2024 in Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley. Before you see this production in person, you are already aware that it has two great things going for it! Firstly, it's co-written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, and secondly, it's written as a  sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Gunderson is a present day world-renowned playwright, screenwriter and author. Melcon is an accomplished artist and dramaturg. And, I'd be surprised if you were unfamiliar with Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice, from England's Regency Era. Gunderson has a knack for driving the pace of a play within the writing, making it almost impossible to mess it up. She also has a high respect for Science and the role in which women have played apart in it, but have been classically left out of the credits, being upstaged by men. Jane Austen, likewise, is famous for her depiction of female characters in a man's world. Needless to say, both of these incredible writers have harnessed their strengths in recognizing and educating the world about womankind and femalehood-- fleshing out these characters and putting meat on their bones, as more than just a supporting role, but as the driving factor of the story, and it is good! It is very, VERY good! That is not to say that the male characters are scrawny skeletons, rather that the women have received the same attention to detail in their creation as the men, and often wear the crown as heroines of the story.  

Stolen Shakespeare Guild's Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley is a shining example of Lauren Gunderson and Jane Austen's work at it's best! But, the writers can't take all the credit in this one. Yes, they've laid out the script, given us beefy characters and plenty of bantering dialogue, but Co-Directors Jason and Lauren Morgan, along with their exceptionally talented cast deserve a standing ovation for this one, having given us the romance of the year! 

Following the recent marriage of their siblings (Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet,) Georgiana Darcy (Marisa Duran) and Kitty Bennet (Katherine Collins) have found friendship and confidence in one another. Both being the youngest member of their families, they see the world in a new light, one that is more favorable to independent women, and one that views marriage as a partnership, rather than one that holds women as subject to their husbands and their husband's income. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Blake Hametner), however, maintains his traditional views on marriage as the provider and the protector of the women in his life, particularly his wife and his young sister. When a new love interest, Henry Grey (Jaxon Hess) enters Georgiana's life, Hametner's Darcy is more than reluctant, apprehensive and overprotective (considering Georgiana's previous relationship with the vulgar villain, Wickham.) Even though Hess' Henry has come with his own baggage, he is trustworthy, kind and genuine in his intentions. However, he is initially too shy and scared to gauge Georgiana's interest in him as a suitor, so he's enlisted his friend, the handsome and confident Thomas O'Brien (Gavin Marsicano) to be his voice, his bravery and his wingman. Soon after meeting Collin's playful and outgoing Kitty, however, O'Brien's wingman situation is looking like the chance of a lifetime. In a tragic turn of events, the unwanted and previously undisclosed baggage brought by Mr. Grey is too much for Darcy to cope with or care for. Against Elizabeth's (Cory Carter) wholesome advice, Hametner's Darcy lets loose his fearsome, booming voice, and banishes poor Mr. Grey, before hearing any words from the offender himself, devastating his young sister and upsetting her chance at true love. It is almost too much for the other women in the room, as well as us, the audience, to take, leaving the entire household in a state of confusion and unrest. Oh, how we pray for a miracle in the second half of the show! Intermission proceeds and we find refreshments to ease the heavy blow. The second half brings a 6-years-later Georgiana, who will have no more of  the meddling from her brother, being determined to pursue her own happiness. How she finds it, will ultimately surprise you!

Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley is full of the many twists and turns that we've come to love and appreciate from Jane Austen, setting you on the edge of your seat, awaiting the outcome. Two hours will seem like two minutes in this joyously romantic drama. RUN! Just, hurry up and RUN there before they close this scrumptiously decadent dish of a play! I'm serious, you have one more weekend and this is your fair warning, should you be in tears over having missed it. Tickets are available at stolenshakespeareguild.org through December 22. 

Enjoy!

Natalie 

From Left: Karsen Clarabut as Lydia Wickham, Karen Matheny as Mary Bennet, Marisa Duran as Georgiana Darcy, Katherine Collins as Kitty Bennet, Cory Carter as Elizabeth Darcy, and Grace Grooms as Jane Bingley