There is the pure Edward Ferrars (Darrell Morris, Jr.), a man so nervous about speaking with Elinor that his best initial efforts at conversation are all variations of how sorry he is about her dead father. The lovers awaiting the Dashwood sisters range from positively pensive to ninnyish nincompoop.
Willoughby (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka) courts Marianne (Antoinette Comer) in “Sense and Sensibility.” (Kevin Berne/TheatreWorks Silicon Valley) A modest cottage is provided by a relative, and the women begin life anew, adventures of love and heartbreak just around the corner. The sisters and mother Fanny (Melissa WolfKlain) face a future without their beloved Norland Park home due to the death of their patriarch, with the property willed to his son John (Nick Nakashima).
She approaches life with strong measure, contrasting mightily with supremely talented Marianne (Antoinette Comer), who exudes an impassioned sensibility. The pragmatic and passionate Elinor (Sharon Rietkerk) is the “sense” of the two sisters. The sisters navigate a suffocating society that views someone in their middle-30s as decrepit and ancient, searching for love and security that will give them a home in literal and metaphoric senses. The world of Austen’s young women may feel shallow on the surface, yet those optics mask the vicious challenges that come with living in a gentry-dominated world that sets status at a premium.
The songs are heartfelt, with flavorful vibrato, fantastic phrasing and commitment to a story showcasing many delightful two-part harmonies. The compelling storyline is matched with a production high on spectacle, rich with humor, and long on vivacity. Paul Gordon’s stupendous musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, staged with depth and humor by TheatreWorks’ former longtime artistic director Robert Kelley, accentuates boldly the yearning for home and financial security, informing more than a simple desire to be among society’s upper-crust. Despite challenges the story will reveal in due time, the sisters make something clear at the onset, “Wherever you are will always be home to me.” While sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood hold onto each other through life-shattering occurrences, their yearning for home leads to a powerful commitment that carries the narrative. The opening notes of “Sense and Sensibility,” the luscious production from TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, succinctly capture the obstacles facing two young women of England at the twilight of the 18th century.
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