Cincy Shakes gives Jane Austen’s matchmaking comedy a fresh take on romance and self-discovery
Jane Austen’s Emma has always had a little bite beneath the charm, but Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s new production gives the classic work a modern interpretation.
Kate Hamill’s new adaptation, which runs through June 14, brings Austen’s novel to the stage in what the company describes as a “big, grand and pink” production. The story follows Emma Woodhouse, a witty and occasionally misguided matchmaker who believes she can orchestrate everyone else’s love life while staying safely out of romance herself. As one may imagine, things do not always go as planned.
For theatregoers looking for their next pick, Emma has the comfort of a familiar classic with a breath of “fresh life” woven into the story, director Candice Handy says.
Handy also grounds the production in what she calls a “portrait of the Black elite,” drawing from a historically wealthy, educated upper-class African American community that emerged in northern cities during the Gilded Age. She also notes that the production incorporates hallmarks of modern Black culture, from string quartet arrangements of hip-hop and R&B classics to line dancing and references to Black romantic comedies.
The show’s design pairs florals, bright pinks and bold costumes with a Regency-meets-Gilded Age setting. The whimsical designs “bring these classic characters to life in bold, over-the-top style,” Handy says. The result is an Emma built for Austen fans and newcomers alike, with romance, humor, and self-reflection offering something for everyone.
Ernaisja Curry stars as Emma, with Samuel Stricklen as Mr. Knightley. The production is currently running at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Otto M. Budig Theater, 1195 Elm St., in Over-the-Rhine. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with an additional Wednesday evening performance June 3 at 7:30 p.m. A Saturday matinee takes place June 13, with Sunday matinees June 7 and June 14 at 2 p.m.
