Dickens’ Great Expectations, a seminal work of literature about the struggles of rising from one class to another, is no stranger to the stage. It has been adapted into plays and films many times, and rightly so, for the story is all but timeless. Now Seattle’s Book-It Reperatory Theatre, already known for adaptations of works like Red Ranger and Emma, has taken its turn at this classic story.

Playwright Lucinda Stroud followed Book-It’s unusual style of having characters speak prose from the novel for her adaptation. This form of script writing caught me off guard in Red Ranger, but after much consideration, I believe it is a strength. Having actors quote description directly from the novel allowed for some very clever wordplay, and gave characters who otherwise would have had very few lines a chance to shine.

The set was minimalist and very surreal. I’ve always advocated the use of actors as set pieces, and Great Expectations employed some beautifully synchronized choreography to do so. Especially good was the moment when two actresses moved as mirror images to each other. It was especially poignant because it was the older Miss Havisham looking into the glass and seeing her younger, happier self. I also appreciated the use of onstage actors to make sound effects as opposed to electronic noises. Somehow it made the whole show seem more real.

The two flies in the ointment were occasional lighting mishaps and a strange construction of cellophane strands on the ceiling. In the former, the mood lighting got so dark a few times that I couldn’t see the actors’ faces. Dim lighting was a good choice in many scenes, but sometimes it just went too far. In the case of the latter, I just found the strands distracting. I believe them to be cobwebs from Ms. Havisham’s dilapidated house; but in other scenes they seemed very out of place.

The crown jewel of any character-driven play like this is always going to be the acting, and in that Great Expectations shone. A special tip of my hat goes to Mike Dooley as Joe and Jane Jones as Miss Havisham. Both were brilliant, and their performances helped transport me out of the theater and into 19th century England. Credit is also due to director Kevin McKeon for keeping the show going at a fast pace. In the entire two and a half hours, never did I notice a wasted moment.

Great Expectations is a wonderful play, and I quite recommend it. The show runs Friday-Sunday until March 6th. Get tickets in advance here, because the theater filled up very quickly on the night I was there. Future events from Book-It include a free-to-attend playwriting workshop/reading on February 27th and 28th, and an adaptation of Ivan Doig’s Prairie Nocturne in May.

More information here.