Do you suffer from an unshakeable urge to don a daydress, sip a cup of tea and chew on a bit of gossip while falling madly in love? Do you often find yourself butting heads with your older sister, who’s just too sensible, or your younger sister, who’s overly sensitive? If you’ve fallen victim to this ailment, hopefully you had the chance to catch “Sense and Sensibility” at the Harvey Powers Theatre. The show provided a perfect dose of 18th century humor and scandal for all those in need.
“Sense and Sensibility” took to the stage October 24-27 as Bucknell University’s Department of Theatre & Dance fall mainstage performance. The play, written by Kate Hamill based on Jane Austen’s book, was directed by Anjalee Deshpande Hutchinson, Presidential Professor of Theatre & Dance, and assistant directors Aisling McGrath ’26 and Alex Schajer ’27.
“Sense and Sensibility” tells the story of the Dashwoods, who were left nearly penniless after the death of their dear husband and father, Henry Dashwood. As the curtain opened, the audience was greeted by a chorus of gossips. They were interrupted by a THUD when the body of Mr. Dashwood plummeted from the ceiling. The audience erupted in gasps and shrieks, but soon started giggling when the characters went right back to their lives.
John Dashwood, the half brother of Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, provides the girls and their mother with a generous £50 from time-to-time. He was coerced to the pittance by his nagging wife, Fanny, played by sophomore Rachel Klemm ’28. She brought the perfect amount of drama to the role with her exasperated body language and squawking lines.
The Dashwood women move to a cottage owned by Sir John Middleton, a boisterous character played by sophomore Austin Alvarez ’28. His nosy mother-in-law, Mrs. Jennings (played by sophomore Sasha Shectman ’28), lives with them, as well.
The eldest Dashwood sisters– to the great amusement of Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret– soon acquire a number of suitors. Elinor, played by senior Ana Eckert ’26, is the practical, sober-minded sister. With much reluctance, she falls for the awkward, yet kind Edward Ferrars, who is Fanny’s brother. Eckert embodied the resoluteness of the oldest sister, but also allowed the character’s guard to drop at times, clearing the way for Elinor to eventually succumb to love.
Sophomore Abby Spitzmiller ’28 took on the role of Marianne– the bubbly, humorous romantic sister. Spitzmiller brought the middle sister to life with her fervorous acting. She took every chance possible to make the audience laugh. Marianne is presented with two options: John Willoughby (played by junior Trevor Seymour ’27), a Prince Charming-like hunter who rescues her from a storm, or Colonel Brandon (played by senior Matthew Alexander ’26), whose matured age and stoicity makes him much less desirable.
Marianne’s love life claims the plot when Willoughby leaves her suddenly. They reconnect at a ball, where Willoughby reveals that he has another woman. The lights turned green, the ensemble’s dancing became stomping and the music became disjunctive, punctuating Marianne’s heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Elinor suffers a much more quiet heartbreak when she finds out that Edward is already engaged. He is to be married to Miss Lucy Steele, a greedy priss played by senior Tessa Brizhik ’26. Brizhik’s portrayal created a satirical villain the audience loved to hate.
Watching all of the aristocratic drama unfold are Mrs. Dashwood and youngest sister Margaret, played by senior Paige Gilmartin ’26 and junior Zoe Fleury ’27. The two brought comedic relief to the plot in the most serious situations.
The crew’s work was another notable aspect of the performance. The set was very creative, and scene changes were accompanied by instrumental versions of popular songs like “Love Story,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Africa.” The wardrobe team also did an exceptional job with costumes, hair, makeup and the number of quick changes, as most actors took on multiple roles.
Ultimately, the sisters realize that they are not just a sum of their own qualities, but products of each others’, as well. As noted by director Hutchinson, “It isn’t until they really see each other as reflections instead of opposites that they can grow to allow romantic love to also enter their lives.”
The show closes with a brief, but touching wedding scene as the sisters claim their unforeseen happy endings– Elinor with Edward and Marianne with Colonel Brandon. Simply put, “Sense and Sensibility” was a charming, hilarious and skillful rendition of the classic.
