By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media
You are smart, funny, sophisticated, young, attractive, ambitious, privileged, rich and single. You are the whole package. So, what are you going to do with all that going for you?
Oh wait, there are a couple of obstacles. You are a woman, you’re in England and it’s the 1800’s. Women do not have the power to make contracts, own property or vote. A woman is seen merely as a servant to her husband. American law in the 1800’s accepted the principle that a woman had no legal identity apart from her husband. Makes no sense to go there.
That is the dilemma that Emma Woodhouse finds herself. What to do with all that pent up energy.
‘Emma’, staged by the Denver Center Theatre Company and currently playing the newly constructed Wolf Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex thru May 5th, takes on the role of portraying women’s role in society during those restrictive times. But it is done in hilarious fashion. Emma by Kate Hamill is based on the 1815 novel by Jane Austen. TICKETS
Being from an upper class family, Emma’s circle of friends is limited. When her governess marries the well-to-do widower Mr. Weston, Emma takes credit for bringing them together and decides that maybe this matchmaking thing would be a good occupation for her. After all she does like meddling in other peoples lives.
Emma, played by Amelia Pedlow, befriends the lower class Harriet Smith, (Samantha Steinmetz), a 17-year-old student at a local boarding school and sets out to similarly assist her in finding a suitable mate. What follows is one hilarious misstep after another. The sold out audience in the Wolf theatre roared with laughter as the various characters fumbled and bumbled their way through several romantic misadventures.
But what about Emma? Doesn’t she long for a suiter? Someone to court and romance her, maybe marry? There is one fellow, Mr. Knightley, (Carman Lacivitathat) who is somewhat interested but he is 16 years older than her. Maybe not the perfect for her besides he is livid with her for breaking up a promising relationship between Harriet and Robert, a local farmer who had asked for her hand in marriage. Although the two had strong feelings for each other, Emma believed Robert was beneath Harriet and convinced Harriet to turn down the proposal. She believes Harriet could do better and with some grooming on her part she would become the perfect match for Mr. Elton, the town Vicar. Well, that doesnt’ work out to well and Emma is left with egg on her face and having to console a distraught Harriet.
Other characters come into the picture and soon a tangled web of romance, deceit and jealousy prevails. Who ends up with whom and at what cost. Emma delivers a laugh a minute.
The play is based on fourth novel by Jane Austen, published in three volumes in 1815. Set in Highbury, England, in the early 19th century. For actor and playwright Kate Hamill this is her fifth adapted novel of Jane Austen. While the book Emma has been adapted for stage and screen many times, this is the first adaptation by a woman.
Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
‘Emma’, staged by the Denver Center Theatre Company plays in the Wolf Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex thru May 5, 2024.
Allow extra time for parking…Access to the Arts Complex garage from Arapahoe Street only is closed for renovation to provide a new cashless payment system, expedite entry/exit and enable pre-paid parking. Please arrive early, enter at 13th Street with a debit or credit card.
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