At nine months pregnant, I have little patience for things that don't particularly interest me. Maybe it's just feeling huge, or perhaps it is because I'm also chasing after a 3 year old as well as working full time. Whatever the reason for my lack of patience, I have never been a huge Jane Austen fan. Because of that, I was leery of reviewing Lakewood Playhouse's production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. 

While every production I've seen at Lakewood Playhouse has been wonderful, I was concerned that no amount of acting abilities could overcome my bias against the author. Fortunately, the wonderful skill of the actors completely drew me into the character's lives with their attention to dialogue and relationships. All the actors' facial expression, gestures and tone of voice were delightful. Trying to explain all the connections between Austen's characters is like trying to explain the connections you discover between your Facebook friends. It will take too long and make your head spin at the spider web connection of relationships. 

Elizabeth Bennett (Rachel Boyer), second of five daughters, is spirited and unafraid to speak her mind. Mr. Darcy (Jacob Tice) is serious, pompous and unabashedly outspoken. When the two meet, sparks fly with such passion that the audience hopes circumstances change and their animosity and contempt turn to love. Through a series of events involving Elizabeth's other sisters, the hatred between herself and Mr. Darcy grows until the turning point when information is revealed and both parties realize they have formulated opinions on misunderstanding and lies. As the conflict resolves, Boyer and Tice handle the dialogue in the quick and witty manner it deserves.

Boyer and Tice aren't the only actors who create charming characters. Whether nuanced and impeccable like the main characters or quirky in a slightly over the top way, the cast was consistent and true to their characters. Other than Boyer and Tice, the actors who especially stood out for their performance were Steve Tarry, Shelleigh-Mairi Ferguson, Annie Coleman, Paul Richter and Lee Ryan. 

From the beautiful construction of the costumes to the simple sets, props and lighting, director Casi Wilkerson chose to create a focus on Austen's words. One choice was to have minimal props and have the actors mime most of the props. Of all the actors who mimed playing the piano, Christa Knickerbocker was the most accurate. Had Wilkerson chosen elaborate sets, props or even costume changes the play would have been much longer as well as taken away from the script.

Regardless of your stance on Jane Austen's writing style, Lakewood Playhouse's production of Pride and Prejudice is a funny, well-acted play that will leave you loving the delightful characters, hating the rude and being impressed with the acting and technical skill of everyone involved. 

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Dec. 1, Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. SW, Lakewood, $18-$24, 253.588.0042