Cornish theatre director scoops Olivier Award for West-End play
Pride and Prejudice (*Sort of) is set to begin a UK tour later this year
A theatre director and film lecturer from Cornwall has scooped a top Olivier Award for his comedy play Pride and Prejudice (*Sort of).
Simon Harvey directed the West-End hit, which premiered at London’s Criterion Theatre, and is set to begin a UK tour in September this year.
The production - a hilarious modern twist on Jane Austen’s beloved romance novel is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story.
The show’s advert teases: “Men, money and microphones are fought over in an irreverent but affectionate all-female adaptation, where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance....”
The show has been met with critical acclaim from outlets including Daily Telegraph, The Scotsman and Daily Mail and was up against The Choir of Man (Arts Theatre), Pantoland at the Palladium (London Palladium) and The Shark is Broken (Ambassadors Theatre) in the ‘Best entertainment or comedy play’ category, before scooping the award.
Other Olivier Award winners on the night included Get Up stand Up (The Bob Marley Musical) and Back to the Future at the Adelphi Theatre.
Simon Harvey is a director, writer and producer based in Truro. He is the Artistic Director of o-region and Associate Artist at Hall for Cornwall and had a long Association with Cornwall’s Kneehigh Theatre. He is also an Associate Lecturer in Film at Falmouth University.
Speaking of his win at the Olivier Awards, Simon said: “I am so pleased that 'Pride and Prejudice Sort of’ picked up this accolade. Like much of my work, it was made with an independent spirit and it is fantastic for a sweary, irreverent, all-female show to be recognised alongside some of the biggest players in the industry.”
Simon is currently developing a new show WHITE HORSE an adaptation of the novel The White Horse of Zennor and other Stories by Michael Morpurgo.