Jane Austen wrote “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an independent company in possession of a grand production, must be in want of a bigger stage.” Or words to that effect. Last year, Bloomshed’s fresh take on Austen’s uber-classic, Pride and Prejudice, made us fall in love and propose we move them to a bigger house… just the way Mrs Bennet would have wanted.
Bloomshed have been making sharp and irreverent takes on the classics for over a decade now, racking up awards and winning hearts, and this confection of a production felt like the perfect way to share their magic with our audiences. The company has a sly way of taking a piece you know and stirring in politics and satire, concocting a new way to look at the source material and the world we inhabit.
They make work that is savvy and smart, that never stints on silliness. They are a delight to collaborate with, and we couldn’t be prouder to partner with them to offer up this autumnal treat. Truly, they take the cake… and perform on it as well.
A NOTE FROM BLOOMSHED
We began writing this show in 2023. We had been arguing about tax reform – which remains our favourite (and probably the sexiest) topic – and wondered what impact the current housing crisis was having on the love market. Were people returning to marriage as a source of security and mutual advantage? Or were they staying true to the ideals of the Romantic genre and waiting for “the One”? In a world saturated by pulpy Hallmark sop and dating apps that trade humans as if they were commodities, the decision to tackle Austen’s Pride and Prejudice fell naturally into place.
With Pride and Prejudice, Austen paints a world of social climbers who put the pursuit of an advantageous marriage above considerations of the heart. These figures are locked in a complex ballroom dance, as they attempt to negotiate the authenticity of their dance partners. The central “Romance” of the story – between Elizabeth and Darcy – is troubled by their failure to grasp the other’s real intentions. Money, status and class keep getting in the way, muddying the waters and clouding the image of their love.
We were also interested in the ways in which the Romance, still the widest read and most popular genre, seems to have swallowed up the more satirical elements of Austen’s work. Her humour and acerbic wit disappear in favour of a story that’s all about “true love.” This is, to some degree, to undervalue Austen’s contribution. Austen’s works are state-of-the-nation novels, which responded to the deterioration of the British economy. That’s to say, they are functionally concerned with political economy. Consistent with Bloomshed’s interest in finding and reinvigorating the “spirit” of an original text, our adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is distinctly concerned with the state of our nation, and the very real and tangible impact it has on our capacity to love each other.
Bloomshed have been working together for 10 years, a growing organism that has expanded from four people thrashing out concepts in a small tin shed in Carnegie, to a much larger team of dedicated theatre makers. As a group, we are consistently resisting the urge to simplify our practice by falling into hierarchical patterns. This practice is underpinned by love, a flattening force that asks us to challenge those brittle hierarchies imposed by brittle little men. We are endlessly grateful to Malthouse for allowing us to be part of its history, and dance in a significantly better insulated shed.
This production was commissioned in 2025 by Darebin Speakeasy and Geelong Arts Centre. We’d like to thank them for their enormous and ongoing support. We’d also like to send a huge thank you to Malthouse for bringing us back. It has always been a dream to tread the boards in the Merlyn.
Cast & Creatives
Photo of LAURA ALDOUS
LAURA ALDOUS
SHE/HER
PERFORMER
Photo of ELIZABETH BRENNAN
ELIZABETH BRENNAN
SHE/HER
PERFORMER
Photo of SYD BRISBANE
SYD BRISBANE
PERFORMER
Photo of EMILY CARR
EMILY CARR
SHE/HER
PERFORMER
Photo of JOHN MARC DESENGANO
JOHN MARC DESENGANO
HE/HIM
PERFORMER
Photo of JAMES JACKSON
JAMES JACKSON
PERFORMER
Photo of ANNA LOUEY
ANNA LOUEY
SHE/HER
PERFORMER
Photo of LAUREN SWAIN
LAUREN SWAIN
PERFORMER
Photo of SAVANNA WEGMAN
SAVANNA WEGMAN
SHE/THEY
SET DESIGNER
Photo of SAMANTHA HASTINGS
SAMANTHA HASTINGS
SHE/HER
COSTUME DESIGNER
Photo of JOHN COLLOPY
JOHN COLLOPY
HE/HIM
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Photo of JUSTIN GARDAM
JUSTIN GARDAM
HE/HIM
SOUND DESIGNER
Photo of EMILY O'CONNOR
EMILY O'CONNOR
SHE/HER
DRAMATURG
"The action is fast and furious, the energy high, the laughs continuous – and the brain is engaged throughout."
Artshub
"A very smart piece of theatre."
Artshub
Bloomshed would like to thank
Mark Pritchard Stella Charls Beau McCafferty Nicole La Bianca Sam Nix Nathan Burmeister Tom Molyneux Katelin May-Tserentzoulias JamesMalcher Peter Haughton Darebin Arts Speakeasy Geelong Arts Centre Canberra Theatre Centre
CONTENT WARNING
This production contains strong coarse language, sexual references, smoke and haze effects, flashing lights, loud noises and a prop gun. The show also contains mentions of colonisation and stolen land. For more detailed information on the production’s content, please click here.
DURATION
The running time for this production is approximately 90 minutes, with no interval.
Malthouse Theatre presents a Bloomshed production
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE CREATED BY BLOOMSHED AFTER JANE AUSTEN
CAST
Laura Aldous Elizabeth Brennan Syd Brisbane Emily Carr John Marc Desengano James Jackson Anna Louey Lauren Swain
CRAIG REEVES LIZ & CHRIS SCHELL RICHARD LEONARD & GERLINDE SCHOLZ JENNIFER DARBYSHIRE & DAVID WALKER CARRILLO GANTNER AC & ZIYIN GANTNER JANINE TAI ANONYMOUS CANNY QUINE FOUNDATION ANNA FOLEY & DASHIELL GANTNER
THALIA ($5,000)
JOHN & LORRAINE BATES ROSEMARY FORBES & IAN HOCKING MARY-RUTH & PETER MCLENNAN JORDANA HUNTER & JACOB VARGHESE ANDREW DOMASEVICIUS & AIDA TUCIUTE MICHELE LEVINE ANN KEMENY & GRAHAM JOHNSON AMY & PAUL JASPER ANONYMOUS CHRISTOPHER REED
MELPOMENE ($2,500)
ANONYMOUS MICHAEL KINGSTON JANE KUNSTLER ALLISON PYE ROSEMARY WALLS LEONARD VARY AM AND DR MATT COLLINS AM KC PETER TEMPLETON JON WEBSTER AM SUE PRESTNEY & PAUL GLEN J COWEN SUSANNE DAHN
EUTERPE ($1,000)
ROGER DONAZZAN SALLY BROWNE FUND ANONYMOUS JAN WILLIAMS MARK DUCKWORTH PSM & LAUREN MOSSO ROD FULLER ANITA & GRAHAM ANDERSON MIN LI CHONG JASON CRAIG NAN BROWN JOAN & GRAME JOHNSON OAM EDWINA MACKEN CARMAN'S KITCHEN JULIE & MICHAEL LANDVOGT NANNETTE HUNTER TOM & RUTH O'DEA ROS CASEY THE BRISCOE FAMILY MICHAEL RIORDAN & GEOFFREY BUSH GEORGE KOKKINOS & MELISSA TONKIN PETER & SHIRLEY WATSON DAMMERY FAMILY FOUNDATION MONICA & SAM ABRAHAMS EVELYN & GRAHAM FIRSTENBERG BEN & NATALIE GILBERTSON SHERWOOD FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST ROGER HATTEN
TERPSICHORE ($500)
JEAN ROSS ANN MCLAREN MARY DYER SUSAN MCLEAN FIONA MAHONY JANE ALLAN ELISE CALLANDER LINDA & TIM NORMAN CHARLIE POWLES ROBERT & HENRY HOSKIN IRENE KEARSEY & M J RIDLEY KAYLENE O'NEILL PENNY WARD BRONWEN EVANS ANDREA MEDWIN CAMERON LEWIS ABBEY-PINKERTON FAMILY PROF ROBERT NORDLINGER PETER BERRY & AMANDA QUIRK MARY-ANNE THOMAS ROSS LYONS DAVID HAMILTON EMMA LINCOLN ALAN WONG & LICHIN LI STEPHANIE JONES LINDY HUME AM JAN BEGG AILIE FREELAND CARMODY PROF MICHAEL JEFFORD ANONYMOUS x 2
ERATO ($250)
JO WHYTE ANITA ROBERTS & BRUCE ROBERTS CHRISTINA COSTIGAN CHARLES & STASIA ZIKA TONI SAN DIEGO HELEN CHAMPION ANTHONY & MANDY BATTAINI STEVEN RICHARDSON ANNE O'DONOVAN AO SIMON ABRAHAMS LYNDY CLARKE JOHN DURIE GERARD & JULIE POWELL BARBARA YUNCKEN JOY BURMAN MARK LARSEN & DARREN BEALE KEVIN PYLE CHRIS THE JUSTINE CHARLES JUDY MORTON GEOFF LAYTON ABIGAIL KING PETER CASH & BARBARA HOGARTH MICHELLE MASON DR ROB BROWN MICHAEL CIESIELSKI DR ROSS COLLER EMILY KLUG LUCY BEST LEIGH JOHNS OAM MONIQUE HODGKINSON MARITA DUNBAR ROGERIO PEREIRA DIANNE TEMBY COLIN DYER JANE JURICIC GLENN MUNARI & MARIA O'SHANNESSY DAVID JOHNSTON-BELL LINDEN GOLDING & MICHAEL GOLDING MARGARET & BARRY VIEIRA PETER & LESLEY THOMAS PETER CROCKETT LYNN NORMAN ALICE AMES DYLAN COLE MARGARET ASTBURY JANETTE HIBBERD SHERYL BRYCE ANONYMOUS x 7
EXECUTIVE TEAM
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & CO-CEO Vivia Hickman
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CO-CEO Dean Bryant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jacob Varghese (Chair) Jada Alberts Jennifer Darbyshire Dr Anna Foley Alison Whyte Alan Wong
ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING
SENIOR PRODUCER Annie Bourke PRODUCER Erica Browne CASTING DIRECTOR Rhys Velasquez, CGA NEW WORK ASSOCIATE – ARTIST DEVELOPMENT Jessica Arthur NEW WORK ASSOCIATE – SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT Keziah Warner
PRODUCTION MANAGER Blair Hart TECHNICAL MANAGER Baird McKenna OPERATIONS MANAGER Dexter Varley HEAD MECHANIST Michael Carr HEAD ELECTRICIAN Rhys Pottinger HEAD TECHNICIAN (SOUND) Edwin Cheah
HEAD OF WARDROBE Delia Spicer WORKSHOP MANAGER Goffredo Mameli SET BUILDERS Elizabeth Whitton, Lennon Fowler
PRODUCTION STAFF
Andrew Boswell Aiden Brennan Eden Burke Taarani Charrett-Dunlop Harry Dowling Finnian Gleeson Luke Grana Jodi Hope Claudia Howarth Kara Jaeger-Pound Marcus Lew Joshua Mackenzie Eugene Mackinnon Mahi Modouris Micah Patson Darren Peet Thomas Roach Arielle Roberts Sarah Ryan Jacob Shears Gareth Sole Nathaniel Sy Nofar Szumer Menashe Darren Thao Eden Trickett Jamie Turner Em Van Dyk Lior Yaron
