A few words on Austen Sisters From Sophie Andrews – author of ‘Be More Jane’ who has offered advice on the early development of the production.
Sophie started her own blog ‘Laughing with Lizzie’ aged 16 and is a founder member of the Jane Austen Pineapple Appreciation Society. She featured in the BBC documentary “My Friend Jane” which focused on the fun and friendship she has found with fellow Jane-ites.
“If, like me, your favourite adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is the 1995 tv series, – yes, the one with Colin Firth in his wet shirt! – then also like me, the Lizzy and Jane Bennet of your imagination will forever be the ones in this production. And you will therefore understand my great excitement when I learned that Jane Bennet, or the lovely Susannah Harker, has created a play about Jane Austen and her much loved sister, companion and confidante, Cassandra Austen.
I was even more intrigued to discover that Susannah’s own sister, Nelly, is co-writer and that these two talented siblings will also be playing the parts of Jane and Cassandra on the stage. What a wonderful idea and an opportunity to add an extra special dimension to the play and the production!
A delightful story awaits you: the Austen sisters’ life, their close relationship, the fun times they shared and the challenging obstacles they faced together throughout their lives. Whether you are already an Austen fan or not, I have no doubt that you will enjoy this original and stylish piece, with its appealing Regency costumes, its witty dialogue and its heart-warming exploration of a family relationship that must surely resonate with us all.
It has been such an honour and an absolute pleasure to have been invited to be involved in this exciting project in a very minor way, and I am excited to see how this continues to develop and wish them all the very best of luck with it.”
Find out more about Sophie by visiting her Facebook page: facebook.com/laughingwithlizziejaneaustenblog.
Sisters Susannah Harker and Nelly Ward bring their new production Austen Sister for a sneak preview to Wells before touring the UK in 2020.
Book tickets to see Austen Sisters on 12 and 13 July at 6.30 at Wells Cathedral Sanctuary. wellstheatrefestival.org/event/yours-jane/2019-07-12/
