Uncorking a bold and boozy reimagining of a Jane Austen classic

Think you know Pride and Prejudice? Think again. Playwright Matthew Semple’s riotous reimagining of Jane Austen’s beloved 19th-century rom-com is anything but polite—it’s boozy, brazen, and brilliantly unhinged. With modern twists, theatrical chaos, and just enough alcohol to keep the narrator from falling apart, Plied and Prejudice isn’t your grandma’s Austen. After turning heads in Brisbane and then storming London, the play now hits Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre from Friday, July 18, to Sunday, August 17, with ‘Pauper’ tickets starting at just $30 and on sale now. RACHEL FINUCANE sat down with Matthew Semple to talk about steering the show’s delightful mayhem, juggling five actors across twenty roles, and revealing which characters were the most fun to wreak havoc with.

Plied and Prejudice is, of course, inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Do you remember your first encounter with the novel? What struck you about it then?

My immediate impression of Pride and Prejudice had me loving her wry, sardonic tone that narrates the story. From that famous first line, I was blown away by her sense of style. As I went along, though, I became more and more enamoured by her incredible understanding of people. Her writing has an incredible, sly way of showing the deep inner worlds of her characters—not just of Lizzy and Mister Darcy, but of Lizzy’s whole family as well. Jane Austen endures because she has such an intimate understanding of who we are and how we love. So naturally, I knew that we had to make our version as preposterous as we possibly could.

You originally intended a faithful adaptation, but logistical curveballs led you down a more playful, chaotic path. What sparked the shift from classic to cheeky?

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a limitation. Give me the world and I’ll come up empty; give me five actors, ninety minutes, and a nonexistent budget, and I’ll start to get excited. I found a lot of the silliness sparked naturally as we tackled the logistical questions of “How do we make this half the length?”, “How do we have this combination of characters on stage when they’re all played by the same actor?”, and “Oh god, what were we thinking?” The logical answer was to make it as silly as possible. The result is something wonderfully chaotic that barely stops for breath.

Jane Austen is famously sharp-witted—how did her dry humour influence the tone and style of the play’s comedy?

Jane’s own irreverence gave us the permission to take her comedy and run wild with it. From the idiosyncrasies of Elizabeth Bennet’s family to the critiques of societal structure and gender relations, there’s so much comedic material that speaks to audiences today. We simply had the joy of dialling everything up to eleven!

The play throws the audience headfirst into an immersive, tavern-like experience—there’s live drinking, nightly chaos, and absolutely no fourth wall. How does that raucous atmosphere shape the audience’s engagement?

It’s like we’re in the gritty underbelly of Jane Austen’s Regency England! There’s a wonderful immediacy to the story, and we’ve worked hard to give the show a tone that breaks down the walls between the audience and the actors. It really feels like we’re all on the same team, here to work together to make Plied and Prejudice happen.

And speaking of chaos, each night a different character gets gloriously drunk. How do you keep the play, and your actors, on track while still leaning into the unpredictability?

Being the generous writer that I am, I like to keep the actors busy. So each night, our esteemed drunkard not only has the job of performing Plied and Prejudice drunk, but they also bear the duty—dare I say, the privilege—of narrating the evening throughout! They keep us on track—or lead us entirely off the rails—and inevitably bring a new perspective to the story that could only be inspired by ridiculous amounts of tequila.

With five actors playing twenty characters, the quick swaps must be dizzying. Beyond costume or voice changes, what subtle tricks did you build into the script to help the audience keep track?

I won’t lie; it helps immensely that our designer Penny Challen is a legitimate genius when it comes to costumes. But beyond that, I’ve taken inspiration from the school of pantomime. Everything’s larger than life, taken to very memorable extremes. There’s elements of pantomime and commedia dell’arte throughout that help us to get to know the characters, and we make a great game of drawing from modern cultural references to tell the story with breakneck efficiency.

You’ve mentioned that the terrible suitors—Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins—are among your favourites. What’s it like translating these infamously awkward men from a buttoned-up era into today’s overindulgent world?

They are my favourites—they’re both so terrible! They’re men who’ve never been told no, who’ve greatly overestimated their personal value, who treat people terribly, and yet they’re securely in positions of inordinate power. I didn’t have to look too far to find modern-day equivalents. It brought me unadulterated joy writing these men as pathetic and impotent as they can possibly be.

Woodward Productions—of The Woman In Black and A Very Naughty Christmas fame—backed this wild ride. How did they help bring your vision to life?

I’ve worked with Woodward Productions since their inaugural production of A Very Naughty Christmas in 2017, and it’s been such a privilege to see this show flourish in their hands. Alex Woodward (Woodward Productions’ namesake) brought this idea to me in early 2023 and basically let me run wild with it. It’s such a rare experience as a writer to be writing on commission but to have so much creative freedom to take the brief in any direction. I’m so proud of the unique writing style and voice of Plied and Prejudice, and that could never have happened without a producer so willing to trust my absolutely unhinged perspective.

The show broke into London around March and has earned rave reviews, including a glowing nod from The Sun. What’s it been like watching its reach grow?

I couldn’t ever have imagined that this fledgeling little play would have received the adoration that it received in Brisbane, let alone internationally. Taking a Jane Austen play from Australia to England certainly isn’t the direction these things typically go, and we certainly felt a mountain of pressure to do Jane Austen justice. Thankfully, Plied was received spectacularly in London! We couldn’t have asked for a better reception, and I still can’t quite believe that my words are making people laugh on a nightly basis halfway around the world. It’s incredibly humbling, and I can’t wait for Perth to join the Plied and Prejudice party.

And finally, for those catching Plied and Prejudice in Perth, if you could make a starter kit for the ultimate viewing experience, what would you include?

First things first: plan your trip and don’t drive! There’s such a joy in coming to this show and getting responsibly sloshed, and we want everyone to get home safely. Second: come with friends! It’s great for a group outing. We’ve seen everything from work groups to hen’s nights in our audiences. It’s such a fun experience to share with friends—the more the merrier! Finally, leave your preconceptions of Jane Austen at the door! This isn’t your BBC miniseries. Colin Firth is nowhere to be found. We’re here to tell the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mister Darcy, like you’ve never seen it before!

Plied and Prejudice hits Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre from Friday, July 18, to Sunday, August 17, 2025. Tickets are on sale now from artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au