Sense and Sensibility, Canberra Rep Theatre, 17 Nov-3 Dec

 Kate Hammill's adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility" uses most of its cast as a gossipy-greek-chorus, forever commenting on the romantic trials and travails of the Dashwood sisters, the rational, restrained Elinor and the more emotional Marianne. It's an interesting approach, situating the characters very much in a society where everyone has too much time on their hands and concerns themselves with other people's peccadillos, as the sisters struggle to find an eligible match among the various single gentlemen around them - whether it be the bashful Edaward, the stoic Colonel Brandon or the dashing Willoghby. 

There's a charm and verve in the story, particularly in the second act as the women face increasing challenges to their happily-ever-after and the stoic Elinor comes closer and closer to breaking point, in the face of the ruthlessly chatty Lucy Steele, though the production doesn't always take advantage of the fleet-of-footness that the script provides -there's a lot of setting-and-resetting of the minimal furniture rather than prsenting a seamless rush of story which would enable us to be driven forward and caught up in the narrative. There's a fine sense of period style in the costumes, the set, and the country dancing, and the entire production has a romping energy to it which is interrupted by those set changes dragging the energy down. 

Still, there's a lot of skill in the performances. Karina Hudson as Elinor keeps us clear on what's going on underneath the stiff-upper-lip demeanor, as we can see the buried passions become more and more not-at-all buried. Anabelle Segler as the more demonstrative Marianne certainly enjoys her chances to demonstrate, and is suitably chastened near the end when the chickens return to roost. Elsewhere, the three love interests are suitably bashful, stoic and dashing respectively,  Kayler Ciceran gives wicked sister-in-law Fanny a ruthless bitterness, Kate Garrow is stupendously slappable as you constantly wish Lucy would put a sock in it, and Sienna Curnow as her brash sister is similarly sock-worthy. 

In short, this is a romp that I slightly wish was a little tidier around the edges than it is - but a romp it remains, leaving us with a super-happy ending and an expression of pleasure at the end.