Written by: Rebeca Ventura🇸🇻
Image via Taneen Momeni (DC Theathre Arts)
Dancing, drama, and divine dresses! There is much to enjoy with the School of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) production of “Emma” at the Clarice. Adapted from Jane Austen’s novel of the same name, the play is filled with Georgian-era excitement with a hint of modernity. The play only had four showings from Oct.5-Oct.10, making it a fleeting pleasure.
While there is much to applaud, the sets stand out above the rest. Beautifully adorned, elegant, and idyllic, the careful diligence the set designers took to create them is clear. Each backdrop perfectly encapsulates the Regency-era beauty that permeates throughout the entire tale. The church, the Woodhouse’s living room, the garden, and Miss Bates’ home does so much to drive the story along.
The arches, pillars, and beautifully painted backgrounds further the dreamy tone of romance, and the gossip becomes much more scandalous, making you wish you had a fan to calm yourself with. The most revered moment of the play is the breathtaking dance scene with Emma and Mr. Knightley right before intermission. Paired with the stunning set and the passionate choreography, this scene perfectly captures the budding romance between the two leads.
A weak point of the play comes in the form of the music. While orchestral arrangements of modern songs became popular due to Netflix’s “Bridgerton” (2020), it becomes oversaturated and gauche in “Emma.” Many of the arrangements that appeared in “Emma” seem to have been directly borrowed from “Bridgerton”, such as “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift (Season 1), “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande (Season 1), and “Material Girl” by Madonna (Season 2).
Not only did the music coordinators of “Emma” not toe the delicate balance between classical and modern pieces in the soundtrack, but they also did not leave ample time between the songs. Instead, they were queued up immediately after one another, making it overindulgent and garish. While many of the songs were enjoyable, the lack of pieces contemporary to Jane Austen’s time stripped the play away from some of its sophistication.
There was also a considerable lack of chemistry between the two leads, Emma and Mr. Knightley. Instead of intimate years of friendship, budding feelings, and a new romance, they interacted like acquaintances. Their body language did not portray the familiarity characters playing love interests should have. However, Terrence Bartlebaugh’s delivery of Mr. Knightley’s iconic “If I had loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more” was just as swoon-worthy as in the original.
While all the actors did a terrific job portraying their characters, Ilana Mongilio’s Harriet Smith stood out. Mongilio perfectly captured Harriet’s bubbly excitement, naivety, and dramatics, making it impossible to dislike Ms. Smith. The costume designers also did a wonderful job with her character, especially in dressing her in more ostentatious clothing than the lovely Ms. Woodhouse at the beginning of the play.
Between the sets, costumes, lights, and everything else, TDPS’s production wonderfully adapts this beloved Jane Austen novel. It captures the allure, drama, and hilarity of regency-era England. Even if you have never read the novel or only have watched “Clueless”, this was a splendid adaptation of “Emma” for everyone to enjoy!
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