Stolz und Vorurteil* (*oder so)

Isobel McArthur’s riotous dramatisation of Jane Austen’s famous love story is currently attracting a lot of attention in London. The Bennets are looking for prospective husbands for their five daughters.

This is a challenge and a matter of survival, as the family’s assets can only be passed down to male heirs. Failing that, the daughters would be left without a penny to their name. A dizzying marriage merry-go-round ensues, with far-reaching misunderstandings, a mother’s poor nerves, and sharp-tongued altercations. After all, tormenting is a sign of affection.

Isobel McArthur’s retelling has all the wit of Jane Austen’s classic, but tells the story from the chambermaids’ perspective. Who knows more about love and about the ladies and gentlemen than the servants?