If you’ve read “Vanity Fair,” William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1848 satirical novel of manners, you’ll recognize the two lead characters in Kate Hamill’s play adaptation, now onstage at Scripps Ranch Theatre.
Hamill’s has had great success reimagining classic works of women-centered literature, like Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice.” Like those two plays, Hamill’s “Vanity Fair” has her trademark wit, contemporary anachronisms and storytelling refocused from the historic male gaze to the women’s perspective.
San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre produced Hamill’s “Pride and Prejudice” in 2019 in a wild and wacky production. Comparing the two scripts, Hamill’s “Vanity Fair” isn’t quite as well-written, with a slow-to-engage opening scene and some of the book’s final plot threads unresolved. But it’s still funny and entertaining.
Jacquelyn Ritz directs the lively and well-cast production, which stars Alyssa Anne Austin as the poor but quick-witted Becky Sharp and Mikaela Rae Macias as the well-born but easily-duped Amelia Sedley. They start out as childhood schoolmates but their lives go in opposite directions as they try to navigate life and find husbands in the male-dominated society of 1820s London.
All of the 900-page novel’s other principal characters are played by just five actors. The play is presented within the framework of a pre-Victorian theatrical, with the show manager, played by Dagmar Krause Fields, directly addressing the audience at times to explain the social mores of the time and the challenges women faced. To fuse past and present, director Ritz has Austin and Macias sing contemporary pop songs to reflect their inner emotions.
Austin is a particular standout as Becky Sharp, an apt name for her spiky, risk-taking character. Although Becky schemes her way into marriage and makes other questionable life choices, Austin sands off her character’s rough edges with an empathetic and relatable performance. And Macias gives a luminous performance as the beautiful but foolish Amelia.
Among his many characters, Justin Lang shines most as the noble William Dobbins, who pines desperately for Amelia. Parth Kichloo plays a lovable bad boy as Rawdon Crawley, Becky’s husband, among others. And Sara Blanche Hayes and Mashun Tucker alternate in many serious and funny roles to round out the cast.
The 2-1/2 hour show features scenery by Dennis Floyd, costumes by Marcene Drysdale, lighting by Omar Ramos and sound by Eliza Vedar. The show’s costumes are especially elegant But the sound editing for the many modern music recordings feels choppy.
“Vanity Fair” closes SRT’s 2023-24 season. Next season, which kicks off Sept. 6, will include Becky Mode’s “Fully Committed”; Nia Vardalos’ stage adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s advice book “Tiny Beautiful Things”; James Ijames’ “White”; Stephen Massicotte’s “Mary’s Wedding”; and Paul Slade Smith’s “Unnecessary Farce.”
‘Vanity Fair’
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Scripps Ranch Theatre, Legler-Benbough Theatre, Alliant International University, , 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego
Tickets: $29-$49
Phone: (858) 395-0573
Online: scrippsranchtheatre.org