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First Impressions

Cover to original Broadway Cast Recording

A Musical Comedy in 2 acts, 15 scenes. Book by Abe Burrows. Music & lyrics by Robert Goldman, Glenn Paxton and George Weiss. Based on the play "Pride and Prejudice" by Helen Jerome after the novel by Jane Austen

Alvin Theatre, Broadway - 19 March, 1959 (84 perfs)

A musical version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which took its title from Austen's original title for her book. The show is the story of the Bennet family and particularly of Elizabeth Bennet's romance with Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Story

The time is 1813, the scene is Longbourn, the home of the Bennets in Hertfordshire. The family consists of Mr. Bennet, his busy wife and their five unmarried daughters: Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Lydia and Kitty. Mrs. Bennet's primary aim in life is to see her children well married, which is not easy when one has five daughters. Nor are the daughters, particularly Elizabeth, entirely sympathetic to her schemes. But good news comes to Mrs. Bennet that a rich young man, Charles Bingley, is coming to live at nearby Netherfield Hall, accompanied by his even richer friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, and she hurries out to tell her friends.

Darcy and Bingley make their first appearance at the Assembly Dance, where the latter is immediately attracted to Jane, but an intense dislike springs up between Elizabeth and Darcy, arising from her spirited tongue and his overbearing pride of station. When Bingley forces them to dance together, they make the best of it but are by no means happy. Elizabeth is more attracted to the dashing Captain Wickham who is anathema to Darcy. Bingley and his sister invite Jane to dinner at Netherfield, and the canny Mrs. Bennet sends her off on horseback in the rain, planning for her to be invited to remain overnight. As long as there's a mother, she assures her daughters, all will be well. Jane catches cold on her journey, and her stay is extended. When Elizabeth goes to visit her, she is persuaded by Bingley to sing for them, and Darcy, hearing her, is forced to conclude that he may have been wrong in his low opinion of her.

Mr. Bennet's cousin Mr. Collins, to whom the Bennet estate is entailed, arrives at Longbourn with the idea of marrying one of the daughters, and decides upon Elizabeth, who is appalled by the idea, and indignantly refuses him. Meanwhile the romance between Jane and Bingley is blossoming and he gives a garden party at Netherfield for her. The strong-minded Elizabeth slowly begins to find Darcy more attractive and he, in turn, appears willing to over-look the commonness of her mother and her connections. Elizabeth is delighted until they unfortunately hear the foolish Mrs. Bennet boasting of Jane's triumph. Darcy at once withdraws into his pride and prevails upon Bingley to leave for London, leaving Elizabeth bemused and angry.

Mr. Collins, spurned by Elizabeth, thereupon marries her friend Charlotte Lucas, to the intense disgust of Mrs. Bennet. He and Charlotte invite Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth to visit his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a fine example of vintage snobbery and Darcy's aunt as well. Mrs. Bennet, overcome by the grandeur of her surroundings, dreams of owning a house in town. Darcy arrives and tells Elizabeth he has conquered his dislike for her and her family, and that he wishes to marry her. This oddly-reasoned proposal incenses Elizabeth, who
refuses, and moreover upbraids him for his cold behaviour to Captain Wickham. They argue violently, and he again stalks out, leaving her dejected.

Lydia, the fourth sister, takes advantage of their absence to run off with Captain Wickham, throwing the family into dismay and humiliation. At last Mr. Bennet returns from his search for them with the news that Wickham has come into an inheritance, has agreed to marry Lydia, and has paid his debts.

Lady Catherine arrives to forbid Elizabeth, quite unnecessarily, to marry Darcy, and unwittingly reveals that it was he who supplied the money to Wickham, despite the fact that Wickham had once plotted to elope with Darcy's young sister. It dawns on Elizabeth that her feelings against Darcy are founded only on his pride, not on his person, and when Bingley suddenly arrives to be re-united with Jane, she allows Mrs. Bennet to persuade her to go to Netherfield to apologise. Together Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their pride and prejudice, based on first impressions, and agree that the heart has indeed won the game.

CAST (in order of appearance)

  • Mr. Bennet
  • Mary Bennet
  • Mrs. Bennet
  • Lydia Bennet
  • Kitty Bennet
  • Jane Bennet
  • Maid
  • Elizabeth Bennet
  • Lady Lucas
  • Charlotte Lucas
  • Caroline Bingley
  • Charles Bingley
  • Fitzwilliam Darcy
  • Coachmen
  • Captain Wickham
  • Lieutenant Denny
  • Lieutenant Rockingham
  • Sir William Lucas
  • Butler
  • Mr. Stubbs
  • Williams
  • Collins
  • Butler at Rosings
  • Lady Catherine de Bourgh
  • Lady Anne

Dancers; Singers

Musical Numbers

  1. Five Daughters - Mrs Bennet
  2. I'm Me - Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, Kitty, Jane
  3. Have You Heard the News? - Mrs Bennet, Townspeople
  4. The Assembly Dance - Townspeople, Officers
  5. A Perfect Evening - Darcy, Elizabeth
  6. As Long as There's a Mother - Mrs Bennet, Mary, Lydia, Kitty, Jane
  7. Jane - Charles, Darcy
  8. Love Will Find Out the Way Elizabeth
  9. Gentlemen Don't Fall Wildly in Love - Darcy
  10. Fragrant Flower - Collins, Elizabeth
  11. I Feel Sorry for the Girl - Jane, Charles, Ensemble
  12. Dance - Mary, Lt. Denny, Lydia, Capt Wikham, Kitty, Lt. Rockingham
  13. I Suddenly Find It Agreeable - Elizabeth, Darcy
  14. This Really Isn't Me - Elizabeth
  15. Finaletto Act 1 - Mrs Bennet, Mary, Lydia, Kitty, Jane
  16. Wasn't It a Simply Lovely Wedding? - Elizabeth, Mrs Bennet, Charlotte, Collins, Ensemble
  17. A House in Town - Mrs Bennet
  18. The Heart Has Won the Game - Darcy
  19. I'm Me (reprise) - Elizabeth
  20. Dance - Capt Wikham, Lydia, Officers
  21. Let's Fetch the Carriage - Elizabeth, Mrs Bennet
  22. The Heart Has Won the Game (reprise) - Darcy, Elizabeth

Scenes and settings

Act 1

Scene 1: Longbourn. Home of the Bennets in Hertfordshire, England, 1813.
Scene 2: A Road in Meryton.
Scene 3: The Assembly at Meryton.
Scene 4: Longbourn.
Scene 5: Netherfield Hall.
Scene 6: Longbourn.
Scene 7: The Garden at Netherfield Hall.
Scene 8: The Lawn at Netherfield Hall.
Scene 9: Longbourn.

Act 2

Scene I: A Church in Kent.
Scene 2: Rosings. Home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Kent.
Scene 3: A Street in Meryton.
Scene 4: Longbourn.
Scene 5: Longbourn.
Scene 6: Netherfield Hall.

 

Discography:

Original Broadway Cast Recording starring Polly Bergen, Farley Granger and Hermione Gingold. DRG 19036