STAGE REVIEW: Emma - at the Festival Theatre, Malvern, from Tuesday, June 27 to Saturday, July 1, 2017.

THIS latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel is light, frothy, a fair bit of fun and not much more.

There’s little to the plot other than a look at the lives of several fairly privileged people and their families, including that of Emma, a meddling match-maker who has the best of intentions - but instead muddies the emotional waters with her muddled take on the signals she believes she has spotted among her circle of friends..

She even fails to initially realise her own destiny in the matrimonial stakes when all the time it was right in front of her. Such horror! But if a happy ending is what you want then it comes by the bucketload…

Tim Luscombe has made a fine job of his work on Austen’s original script and ensures there is at least a steady gathering of pace following a pedestrian plod at the outset, although there is always a tight rein on the more amusing and comedic interjections.

A little more freedom could possibly have been afforded by director Colin Blumenau that would have added to several quality performances among a well rehearsed and word perfect cast.

Bethan Nash’s Emma Woodhouse was hugely enjoyable to the point of perfection, and there’s strong support from her confidantes Miss Bates (Kate Copeland) and Mr Knightley (Phillip Edgerley).

Nicholas Tizzard impresses too playing dual roles of Mr Elton and Mr Woodhouse, Emma’s permanently ailing father whose answer for all ills is a ‘bowl of gruel’.

As it is it’s Mr Elton who lands himself in the soup when he, like Emma, gets hold of the wrong end of the stick and suffers a severe bout of umbrage which results in him marrying on the rebound. Hannah Genesius not only gives us a cantankerous Mrs Elton, but also a house guest and a troublesome gypsy.

Libby Watson’s design of a circular set of a room within the open spaces of the Surrey countryside worked well with the action, and along with some splendid costumes and cast it ensured there was never any need of an infusion of gruel, a food usually consisting of some type of cereal, akin to a thin soup or porridge.

All was tasty enough on its own.