Pete Campbell as Mr. Darcy: The Photos. The Reviews

by Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe

We don't want to turn into the Mr. Darcy blog here, but when something important happens in the world of Darciana (just made that word up!), we figure it's our duty to alert the public.

Related: There Is a Giant, Inflatable Mr. Darcy in London's Hyde Park

So, red alert: Minnesota native Vincent Kartheiser, aka Pete Campbell on Mad Men, has stepped into the famed trousers of Austen's most enduring character at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. And he looks….like Pete Campbell in trousers. (Also, not to be mean, but he looks like he's possibly wearing a wig? His hair is just a lot…fuller…than it's been on Mad Men of late. Just noticing.)

Of course you can't judge a Darcy on his sideburns. Let's see what the reviews have to say:

Per VitaMN: "Kartheiser acquits himself well, though his performance is in keeping with a production that turns Austen's memorable characters into overblown stereotypes. Kartheiser's Darcy is comically haughty, winning big laughs for his presumption to have the hand of any woman he chooses - including Elizabeth, who's played by Montondo like a Disney princess: spunky, sexy and simple."

And from the Star Tribune:

"Kartheiser makes his presence most evident with hauteur and conceit - characteristics that make him easily definable as mere mortal rather than Austen's enigmatic, brooding figure of privilege and assumed arrogance. He doesn't feel completely comfortable in Darcy's cloak of mystery, although Kartheiser does loosen as Darcy warms to Elizabeth with a nice humor and natural charm.

'Tis a bit frustrating that Kartheiser is such a good soldier in deferring to Montondo's Elizabeth - whose story this is. If he hadn't, of course, critics would have said Kartheiser is smothering the lead character. But shucks, some of us came to see Vinny Kartheiser, Live!"

Some of us came to see Vinny live? Okay.

And finally, from the Twin Cities Daily Planet: "Vincent Kartheiser as the misunderstood Mr. Darcy is best known for his role as Pete on the AMC series Mad Men. Kartheiser's got that air about him as Pete, just as Mr. Darcy does. Slap a British accent on him and Kartheiser plays an effective Mr. Darcy. As my friend pointed out, though, 'He's no Colin Firth coming out of a pond.'"

Well, there you have it. As Darcy, Kartheiser seems to be sufficiently pompous, pleasingly humorous, but not quite as swoon-worthy as other Darcys. But maybe, ultimately, for whatever ineffable reason, an American Darcy never could be.

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