The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley at the Bebe Theatre

This holiday season, there are many festive performances as life slowly inches back to “normal,” but if you long for Regency-era hijinks, look no further than Multiverse Theatre Collective’s production of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley.

Housed in the BeBe Theatre’s cozy black box space, the stage is transformed into the kitchens of Pemberley. Occurring at the same time as Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, the play focuses more on the lives of the household staff at the titular home. 

Mrs. Reynolds (Dana Gillihan), the housekeeper of Pemberley, attempts to keep order at the home she’s so proud of during the holiday season, catering to the requests of Mrs. Darcy (Hanni Muerdter) as the entire Bennet family arrives for Christmas. It’s difficult to maintain said order when a new housemaid, Cassie (Gabby Bailey), arrives to help for the season but keeps getting involved in bickering fits with groom Brian (Desmond Williams).

And, of course, Mrs. Wickham (Lauren Otis) meddles (as she is a Bennet and that’s what the family is wont to do) since her husband (Alex McDonald) is away on “business” for the holidays. Mr. Darcy (Zak Hamrick) just wants the whole holiday to be done so he can go back to business as usual.

The play deals with some surprisingly heavy themes (mainly emotional abuse), but handles it with such grace. Otis’ performance is thoroughly impressive, as she manages to make Lydia such a complex character, as opposed to being flat and one note. 

The chemistry between Bailey and Williams is so strong that it's easy to imagine the two competing with each other since childhood. McDonald makes Mr. Wickham as cruel as can be, but with ambition, rendering the role far more sympathetic than in the source material. And Gillihan plays Mrs. Reynolds as dry but compassionate – it's truly a wonderful performance to witness.

As the first weekend of performances were cut due to illness, the remaining four performances are not to be missed at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 18, at the BeBe Theatre. facebook.com/MultiverseTheatreCollective

(Photo by Eliza Alden Photography)