Austen’s best bound to score
A magical interpretation of a classic story will be performed this weekend.
Pride and Prejudice takes place at the FTH Theatre in Falkirk on Saturday (June 10) at 7.30pm.
Created to honour the bicentenary of Jane Austen’s death in 2017, this event promises to be an unusually intimate performance of the beloved author’s most famous work.
The enduring story of the romance between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy will be read aloud in a drawing-room setting, in much the same way that Jane herself first read the story aloud to the Austen family and their closest friends. Weaving around those words will be Carl Davis’ magical score from the much-loved BBC TV drama series of the 1990s.
“It’s a much-loved story and the writing is so exquisite. I was quite struck by how it straddles two periods,” Carl told the Observer.
“When we did the version of the production we decided to set it in about 1810. You have the end of the Classical period and the beginning of the Romantic then.
“It is almost like this is the central part of the piece.”
Carl added: “It goes back to 1995, with the BBC show, and it has sustained its popularity amazingly. We are taking the score from the television series and have turned it into a recital with narration by Gill Hornby and Hayley Mills.”
The music, specially adapted by the composer, will be performed by two of the UK’s most sought after musicians: the pianist Ashley Wass, and violinist Matthew Trusler. The book has been abridged by novelist and Austen biographer, Gill Hornby.
Carl has made an astonishing impact on music in Britain and his output for film and television is vast, including The World At War, Goodnight Mr Tom and The French Lieutenant’s Woman.
And he is looking forward to the show’s visit to Scotland. “I have done a lot of work in Scotland in the past, but not for years,” he said. “I was a conductor with the Royal Scottish Symphony and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and various productions I have done the music for have played there as well.”
Hayley Mills made her film debut in Tiger Bay with her father, John Mills. Still as a child actress she won a special Oscar for her part in Pollyanna (1960), and went on to star in such films as The Parent Trap, Whistle Down The Wind, Endless Night and Appointment With Death.
Carl said: “Hayley is always thought of as a child, but she isn’t any more! She is a highly polished, talented actress and is a big pull for the show.”
Gill Hornby is a writer, journalist and Austen devotee. She is the author of two novels: The Hive -and All Together Now. Her first book was a biography of Jane Austen - The Girl with the Magic Pen -written for the younger reader.
Tickets can be purchased via falkirkcommunitytrust.org or 01324 506850.