She's the oddball in 'Pride and Prejudice.' But in 'The Other Bennet Sister,' Mary's the star

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It’s the day of the Netherfield Ball and Ella Bruccoleri is nervous.We’re on the set of “The Other Bennet Sister,” a 10-episode adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s beloved novel, and Bruccoleri is preparing to perform a song as Mary Bennet.

On this particularly sunny July day, the production has taken over Dyffryn Gardens, a National Trust estate outside of Cardiff in Wales.Crew members are packed into the entry hall as preparations are made to shoot the big scene inside one of the grand rooms.Unfortunately, that means the only place Bruccoleri can rehearse is in a tent on the front lawn.

She is dressed as Mary in a beige gown and wire-framed glasses, and she’s feeling the pressure of this particular moment from Episode 2, where Mary takes it upon herself to sing and play piano to impress Mr.Collins.“I’m in a band in real life,” Bruccoleri says.

“I wouldn’t say I’m an amazing singer, but today I have to do this badly.And you can practice as many times as you want, then suddenly you’re doing it in front of the camera and in front of the crowd and it all goes to pot.

Mary has taken this really happy song and made it slow and sad.” Television Author Gill Hornby and executive producer Christine Langan spoke about adapting Hornby’s novel for television and why readers and viewers continue to gravitate to Jane Austen.The scene is famously depicted in Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” from the perspective of Elizabeth Bennet, who entreats their father to step in and prevent Mary from showcasing a second musical number.But in “The Other Bennet Sister,” premiering May 6 on BritBox with three episodes, everything is filtered through Mary.“We’re very much anchored to Mary in every scene because it’s her story,” says Jennifer Sheridan, who directed Episode 2.

“We get to see the Mary beyond the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ version, who was just k...