Pride and Prejudice takes a Wild West turn in Epsom
Epsom audiences will be the first to see a new immersive adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice when an Ashtead-based theatre company launches the show at Labyrinth on Saturday 17 October.
Best Life Productions will present a preview of Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition at 2pm, ahead of a planned tour of venues across Surrey, London and Kent.
The production transports Lizzie Bennet, Mr Darcy and the Bennet family to a 1930s frontier saloon, combining Austen’s romance with line dancing, audience participation and a wedding disco finale.
Rather than watching from rows of seats facing a stage, audiences will find the story unfolding around them. Guests can enjoy a drink, learn some simple line-dancing steps and become part of the action.
Producer Claire Zuurbier said choosing Epsom for the first public performance reflected the company’s local roots.
“As a local company, it felt right that our home audience should be the first to experience this new show. Before we take Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition further afield, we wanted to share it with the community that has supported our work from the beginning.”
The company hopes the combination of Austen’s characters and country dancing will offer audiences a different kind of theatre experience, with opportunities to meet and interact with fellow guests.
“Most theatre is face-forward,” said Zuurbier. “You sit in your seat, watch the action and go home. We wanted to create something more visceral. Something that surrounds you, includes you and helps people connect with each other.”
She added: “In a world where so much of life happens through screens, we think there is huge value in gathering people together in the same room to laugh, dance and experience something collectively. This show is designed to leave your worries at the door. For a few hours, it’s simply about joy, connection and having unapologetically good fun.”
Charlotte Farrer will play Lizzie Bennet alongside Filippo Brozzo as Mr Darcy. Amaya Clarke takes the roles of Lydia Bennet and Mr Collins, while Ata Dirilgen plays Wickham and Mrs Bennet. Eleanor Bayford appears as Annie Penrose and Joseph Burdge as Fitzwilliam Allen, with both also serving as swings.
Friends, couples, book clubs and family groups are encouraged to attend, and solo visitors are also welcome. The performance ends with a wedding disco, inviting the audience to join the celebrations.
“We aren’t just retelling Pride & Prejudice,” said Zuurbier. “We’re creating an occasion. The aim is for audiences to walk out smiling, having met new people, danced a little, laughed a lot and remembered how much fun live experiences can be.”
Pride & Prejudice – The Hoedown Edition previews at Labyrinth, Epsom, at 2pm on Saturday 17 October 2026.
Tickets and further information are available from Best Life Productions.
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The photo is by Simon Vail Photographer and were taken at an advertising shoot where the people featured are friends of Best Life Productions and the show’s creative team.