There’s a reason millions around the world love Jane Austen novels - fans think the books are perfect already.

So, it might be thought that giving an English literary classic a modern-day reboot into a stage musical comedy might not be necessary.

But artistic licence allows for the reinvention of some of our best-known works - no more so than the current touring production of Pride and Prejudice* (Sort Of).

The Laurence Olivier Award-winning production hit the stage at The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury this week to a deserved standing ovation ahead of its five-night stint ending on Saturday.

An early full disclosure moment, I am not overly knowledgeable about Jane Austen and by no means am I an avid fan of her writing and (somewhat sacrilegiously, you might say) I have not read the book.

But by coincidence, I happened to watch the 2005 film adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen not that long ago.

So, with the story at least still relatively fresh in the mind, the stage is set.

The cast of five interchanging characters creates a fast-paced dialogue, quick costume changes and a high-energy show for the audience.

Each performance is spot on with timing and delivery of their interactions and quips landing right on the mark.

That is also down to a tightly written and brilliant script that works in songs perfectly chosen for the part in the story.

It’s not a spoiler to pick out ‘You’re So Vain’ by Carly Simon sung by Elizabeth Bennet (Naomi Preston Low) to Mr Darcy (Rhianna McGreevy) as one of the top musical moments and absolutely nails it - we’ll leave the rest for you to find out for yourself…

The love story and retelling of this classic is absolutely perfect and is a party 1800s style, brought into the modern day.

Not only is the story a raucously entertaining laugh-a-minute journey, as with any great piece of theatre or drama, it leaves the audience thinking.

The reimagining of the story through the eyes of five young female servants - symbiotic of the five Bennet sisters - represents the class and social divides of the period as well as the inequalities of the “enlightened age” the audience lives in today.

The final few seats are available from the Marlowe Theatre website.

Tickets are priced £26-£72 for the remaining shows (including Thursday and Saturday matinees).