Sense and Sensibility
Guthrie Theatre
Twin Cities Pioneer Press- Somewhat Recommended
"...This kind of coloring strictly within the lines is a hallmark of this staging (with the curious exception of the very contemporary Bruno Mars tune “Marry You,” which pops up in the very last moments of the play and then punctuates the curtain call). If you are an Austen devotee, and have well-formed ideas of who these characters are and what they want, you may find more dimension in the Guthrie’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Standing on its own in this production, the story struggles to emerge robustly from the page."
Read Full Review
Dominic P. Papatola
How Was The Show- Somewhat Recommended
"...Alas, while there is much to admire about this sleek production, the adaptation doesn’t quite live up to its source material. It too often feels rushed when it should have invited its audience and characters to linger and yearn, particularly in its romances. It will no doubt be a hit, and most will be satisfied enough, but many who know and love these characters will leave just a little wanting."
Read Full Review
David and Chelsea Berglund
Aisle Say Twin Cities- Highly Recommended
"...I'm writing this review as an unabashed Jane Austen fan and addressing it to the likewise. Anyone else is a mystery to me and I wouldn't know where to begin. Janeites/Austenites will love the Guthrie Theater's and Kate Hamill's reverent, yet lightly modernized adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. With spot-on lead performances, exceptional ensemble acting and clever staging, Sarah Rasmussen's Guthrie directorial debut will delight and entertain."
Read Full Review
Christine Sarkes
Talkin Broadway- Recommended
"...Hamill expertly captures Austen's whimsy and sharp eye for the absurdity of social rituals and she is unstintingly faithful to the novel's depiction of social cruelty. Gossip may be idle among the gentles, but it is sometimes almost inhuman. In this play, it has the potential not only to break hearts but to destroy people's lives. If Hamill does not quite do justice to the seriousness of Austen's concern that the elevation of "emotional sensitivity" might foster intellectual and ethical laziness, and more broadly, to Austen's own uncompromising moralism, it's not really her fault. She faces the same problem that plagues all adaptations of Austen: the omission of the narrator whose voice provides most of the novels' philosophical depth and searing social critique. Take away the commentary and you've got, well, something that looks very much like a well-plotted, only mildly satirical, romance. And while Hamill does her best to channel some of Austen's cynicism into Elinor, she can only take it so far, if only because, well, Elinor's not omniscient."
Read Full Review
Kit Bix
Twin Cities Arts Reader- Somewhat Recommended
"...The Guthrie Theater opens its 2016-2017 season with Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. In this new adaptation by playwright Kate Hamill, Sara Rasmussen (artistic director for the Jungle Theater) directs Jane Austen’s work with a heavy emphasis on the female characters. The pace of the play starts slow, like the novel, but techniques such as a chorus of gossips help to pick up the pace for a very pleasant second half."
Read Full Review
Bev Wolfe
|
