{"id":463846,"date":"2025-09-30T19:30:23","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T19:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/463846\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T19:30:23","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T19:30:23","slug":"emma-birmingham-rep-the-reviews-hub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/463846\/","title":{"rendered":"Emma – Birmingham REP – The Reviews Hub"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writer: Jane Austen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adaptor: Ryan Craig<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director: Stephen Unwin<\/strong><\/p>\n

The titular Emma is an intelligent and wise lady. She uses her comprehensive understanding of human nature to observe those around her and gently guide them in their best interests. Well, that\u2019s what Emma thinks. In fact, it quickly becomes clear that, as in the title of the 1990s loose film adaptation, she is often clueless.<\/p>\n

Emma is headstrong, manipulative and class-conscious. If she sees her friends and acquaintances seeming to make poor choices in love, she cannot help but interfere to ensure that the status quo is maintained and no one marries above or below their station. She cannot entertain the notion that she might be mistaken, as she drives wedges between those lovers who are truly star-cross\u2019d to direct them to her opinion of a better match. Needless to say, it all goes horribly wrong before finally unwinding.<\/p>\n

While Ryan Craig\u2019s adaptation is wordy, not a single word is wasted, and it is full to the brim with wit and genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Stephen Unwin\u2019s direction makes the most of the script with well-judged pace, so we barely notice the time pass. That is undoubtedly helped by the minimalist set design of Ceci Calf and the well-drilled and choreographed ensemble, which moves furniture and props on and off the stage smoothly. Despite the wordiness, this is a cast that can also make dramatic and comedic points with little more than their stance, gesture or tilt of the head.<\/p>\n

Central to the piece, and rarely off-stage, is India Shaw-Smith as Emma. Shaw-Smith has Emma\u2019s innate, polite arrogance perfectly in the set of her head and her movement across the stage. In common with all cast members, her timing is impeccable, with any disconnects between her words and her body language exploited superbly to comic effect. And as the play goes on and she becomes a little more introspective, we can clearly see the beginnings of that awakening in her poise as well. There\u2019s never any doubt that Emma truly believes she is helping people achieve their destiny, even as it infuriates the other characters.<\/p>\n

William Chubb\u2019s Mr Woodhouse, Emma\u2019s father, gives a masterclass in character comedy. His physicality in the role shows just how helpless Woodhouse feels when Emma is in full flow, while his mild hypochondria is always amusingly present. His fear of being left alone is ever-present in his poise, never more so than his reaction when he believes he is will be left alone in the house to fend for himself \u2013 and the subsequent one when he realises that is not to be the case after all.<\/p>\n

Rose Quentin brings us the ambitious Augusta Hawkins, relishing the verbal sparring and outright snobbery of her character, while Oscar Batterham\u2019s Mr Elton becomes ever more desperate in her company. Both clearly revel in the inherent unpleasantness of their characters.<\/p>\n

Emma\u2019s ultimate love interest, George Knightley, is brought to us by Ed Sayer. Sayer shows us Knightley\u2019s internal battles as he is simultaneously attracted to and horrified by Emma. Despite knowing his words will have little effect on her, we nevertheless see clearly Knightley\u2019s efforts to help Emma see her errors, the immovable object to Emma\u2019s unstoppable force. Their cat-and-mouse verbal jousting is a delight to watch.<\/p>\n

The actor playing Harriet, Emma\u2019s unwitting and sometimes unwilling prot\u00e9g\u00e9e, was indisposed for the press performance, and so understudy Lukwesa Mwamba stepped up to the mark, fitting in seamlessly as she demonstrated Harriet\u2019s thrall in Emma, her obvious feelings that something wasn\u2019t quite right and ultimately, her triumph as she can follow her heart.<\/p>\n

Emma is a delight from start to finish, light but never lightweight, one can\u2019t help but feel uplifted as Emma\u2019s machinations unwind to enable happy-ever-afters for (nearly) all.<\/p>\n

Runs until 4 October 2025 and on tour<\/strong><\/p>\n

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