A collaboration with industry professionals is giving De Montfort University (DMU) Drama students the chance to perform at Leicester’s Curve theatre in a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. DMU Journalism student Niamh Spencer reports.
The show has been written and directed by Curve’s Associate Director Cara Nolan, who has taken inspiration from comedians French and Saunders, as well as from Netflix series Bridgerton, to add a modern twist to the Regency tale.
Dr Lyndsey Bakewell, the programme leader for Drama and Theatre Arts at DMU said: “It is a unique opportunity for our students to hone their abilities by harnessing the power of Jane Austen, and they’ve proven to be a strong ensemble.”
Jacob Ward, one of the drama students busily rehearsing for the production, is enjoying the chance to work ‘beyond the bubble of uni.’
“Our creative liberties with Cara are recognised,” he said.
“It is definitely a great experience even for people who might not want to necessarily go into straight stage acting when they finish uni. The whole thing of working with different people is just a good experience anyway.”
Fellow student and cast member Raymond McDonald-Hulme said: “We are being treated like members of a company.”
He said the collaboration is giving students an experience of working with industry professionals, which is all part of the project, replicating for students the inner workings of the industry.
It has also opened networking opportunities for the students as a career in theatre can be boosted through contacts working in the industry.
Raymond said: “Having all these professional connections with people that they’re bringing onto the production is useful not just in the fact that we can learn from them and their experiences but the fact that we know them and may see them in the future.”
The show will be staged at Curve from Thursday 13 June until Saturday 15 June. Tickets are available from the online box office.
Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2024