We are invited to spend an hour in the company of one of Jane Austen’s best-known villains. Concealed beneath the bright lights of London’s pulsating Piccadilly area, Jermyn Street theatre is a fitting location for the roguish raconteur that is George Wickham.
Actor Adrian Lukis has enjoyed a varied and fruitful career but is perhaps best known for his portrayal in the much-revered BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Despite being released almost three decades ago, the mini-series still resides fondly in the memories of many a fan of the author. Lukis evidently has an affectionate attachment to his most famous character. So much so that he has penned this one man show, which revisits the cad thirty years on from when we last encountered him.
We are rarely afforded the chance to hear from the anti-hero of the piece and Lukis does not hold back in painting his own picture of Darcy, Elizabeth and various other characters from the novel. He is still married to Lydia, who has stormed off after witnessing her husband flirting with another woman. This leaves a mildly morose Wickham with only wine, his memories and of course us to kill time with.
There is somewhat of a thrill in having an unreliable narrator and we find ourselves at once shaking our heads in disgust before laughing along with our host. Such is the talent of both the writing and the performance. While some might argue Wickham is too on the defensive, others will revel in hearing his take on events. Lukis effortlessly slips back into the role and is clearly having fun as he attends to his character’s unfinished business.
The unique intimacy of Jerymyn Street Theatre facilitates the sense that we are a welcomed guest. Lukis is captivatingly charismatic, approachable, and even relatable throughout this one-hour show. While a confessional air permeates, we cannot help but cast aside our prejudices of the character and quickly become fully invested in his story. Flawed and arrogant, we also sense a fragility about Wickham that was perhaps absent in his initial presentation. Wrestling with age as he approaches his twilight years, Wickham still exudes a fiery, almost childlike air.
Fans of Austen and her seminal novel will have a great deal to enjoy here. Those unfamiliar with the source material will also leave the venue engaged and entertained. Through his original performance, Lukis ensured a relatively minor character was left cemented in the mind – injecting a richness to an individual who, in other hands, might have been rendered one dimensional. In this monologue, he wins us over again. Playful, camp but beautifully naturalistic, this makes for a delightful hour of easy escapism.
Being Mr Wickham is at Jermyn Street Theatre until 22ns June 2024
